Francis Ngannou has competed in mixed martial arts (MMA) just one time over the last three years and has not fought more than once per calendar year since 2019. Now 39, “The Predator” has yet to book his next MMA fight despite a lucrative contract with Professional Fighters League (PFL) — though it doesn’t sound like they’re on the best of terms.
That seems to be a recurring theme with Ngannou (18-3), who parted ways with UFC after negotiations turned sour in early 2023. As a result, fans will never
know if “The Predator” could replicate this terrifying performance against next-gen heavyweights like UFC 265-pound champion Tom Aspinall, among others.
“He’s a massive human,” UFC color commentator, Joe Rogan, said on the Joe Rogan Experience. “(The) guy’s so big. That’s a real tragedy that him and the UFC couldn’t figure it out. That bothers me a lot because that guy was the scariest heavyweight champion of all time, for sure. He put guys in orbit. He would hit them and you just go, ‘Oh!’ It would hurt you, like, watching it. You’re like, ‘Oh no.’ All men are not created equal. That’s another problem with fighting.”
Ngannou made life-changing money after lining up consecutive boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, with the second fight ending so poorly (for Ngannou) that he may not be able to secure another marquee name for the foreseeable future. That said, he doesn’t need to compete to pay his bills.
Without a UFC contract (that is never coming) there doesn’t appear to be any competition big enough to lure Ngannou back into the “SmartCage.” Perhaps “The Predator” can lure this fading “Bomber” out of exile or shock the world and return to UFC for a Jon Jones fight at the White House in summer 2026.
