Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou won’t be returning to the UFC if UFC COO Dana White has his way.
Many thought there was a potential Ngannou return to the UFC following the retirement of Jon Jones, but White has already shut that down.
“One thing I’ve learned over the years about Francis — Francis doesn’t always mean what he says publicly,” White said at the UFC Baku post-fight press conference (transcript via Damon Martin of MMA Fighting). “What he says behind the scenes are different than what he says publicly. I’m not a big fan. I would be shocked if Francis ever came back here on lots of different levels. I’m not a fan and he doesn’t always mean what he says publicly.”
Ngannou would take to X after White’s comments to issue a rebuttal of his own:
Did I say I'm ever coming back? ????
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) June 22, 2025
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