Jason Burgos
Former UFC two-division champ Daniel Cormier just added more fuel to the speculation of a Francis Ngannou and UFC reunion soon, following his release from the Professional Fighters League (PFL) this week.
On Friday morning, an MMA news bombshell was dropped. The PFL decided to cut former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. While the news surprised many, it shouldn’t have. After signing with the promotion following an ugly fallout with the UFC three years ago, he competed inside the SmartCage just once and instead was more focused on boxing.
With just one fight left on his deal, the move made business sense for the PFL as they undergo a major restructure and aim to be more cost-effective. Soon after Ngannou’s release, speculation began about a potential return to the Octagon. However, last year, UFC CEO Dana White went public about how much he deeply dislikes the Cameroonian giant. It makes a reunion unlikely.
Yet, the company is trying to put on a historic mega-event at the White House in June. At the UFC 326 weigh-ins, White revealed that one of the bouts on the card just fell through, and the video of Campbell informing matchmaker Mick Maynard about the news suggests it was probably a big one. Plus, booking bouts with big-name talent is always difficult in general.
Can Francis Ngannou be a backup option for the UFC White House card?
That is why it could come as no surprise that former two-division champ and current UFC analyst Daniel Cormier poured some fuel on the idea of bringing Ngannou back to the company.
During a Friday live stream, Cormier suggested that current heavyweight king Tom Aspinall signing a management deal with White’s new rival, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, could make a UFC pivot to Ngannou more likely. Furthermore, he added that if they can’t get a rumored deal done with Jon Jones for the White House card, Ngannou would be another big-name backup option.
Cormier admits the issues between Ngannou and White are a huge hurdle. However, he used CM Punk and Brock Lesnar’s return to WWE after bitter departures as proof that no bridge is fully burned in the sports and entertainment business.
It remains to be seen if the UFC will seriously consider it, but if Ngannou is willing to return at a reasonable rate, he still has quite a few money fights left, and the company is driven by money-making opportunities.
Related: 5 Francis Ngannou UFC Return Fights We Want After PFL Release
