'Fake news'… Francis Ngannou's PFL status clarified after rumor about imminent split spreads
03/15/2025 04:55 PM
PFL founder Donn Davis addressed rumors that Francis Ngannou could be in the final days of his stint with the promotion.
Francis Ngannou shocked the MMA world when he signed with the PFL in free agency in 2023 after a long, rocky contract dispute with the UFC. Two years since moving on to the next chapter of his MMA career, Ngannou has fought just once inside the PFL SmartCage, in favor of pursuing boxing matches with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Ngannou’s lack of MMA activity prompted speculation that his days with the PFL could be numbered. After a lengthy hiatus from MMA, Ngannou returned to the cage last year against 2023 PFL heavyweight champ Renan Ferreira, winning by first-round TKO.
A significant angle of speculation over Ngannou’s PFL status is the lack of top-tier heavyweight talent for the former UFC champion to face off with in the cage. Outside of Ferreira and Vadim Nemkov there aren’t a lot of marquee names on the PFL heavyweight roster.
Rumor: Francis Ngannou’s PFL career is in its final days
This prompted MMA journalist John S. Nash to report that Ngannou’s PFL contract is nearing its conclusion and that Ngannou could potentially return to the free agent market.
“I don't know how much longer Francis Ngannou has in PFL," Nash said in a recent ‘Hey Not The Face!’ podcast episode. "Francis Ngannou is one of their biggest sales pitches, and if it's true that his contract has a termination date and that termination date is the end of this month, they better get on that! Because this is one of their major selling points and if they're looking for a big TV deal."
It didn’t take long for PFL founder Donn Davis to address Nash’s reporting.
In a recent post to X, Davis appeared to squash speculation over Ngannou’s collaboration with the PFL.
“No truth, fake news. Francis has at least one more fight with [PFL],” Davis posted. “Further Francis is a long-term business partner as Chairman [of PFL Africa].”
As of this writing, Ngannou hasn’t publicly commented on his PFL future or when he could potentially return to the cage. He’s eying a professional boxing return later this year, potentially against former heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder.
UFC Hall of Famer ‘concerned’ for Francis Ngannou ahead of potential Deontay Wilder clash
Ngannou vs. Wilder would feature two of the heaviest hitters to ever compete in combat sports. But for UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
Cormier admitted he’s apprehensive about Ngannou facing Wilder in the boxing ring after falling to 0-2 in his professional career. He said Ngannou ‘looked lost’ against Joshua in his most recent bout that ended in a knockout.
Despite Cormier’s concerns, Ngannou indicated he’s returning to boxing for his next combat sports venture as the PFL World Tournament approaches. He could potentially face the heavyweight tournament winner for his next MMA fight.
A potential cross-promotional fight between Ngannou and Jon Jones isn’t likely to take place anytime soon, as UFC CEO Dana White stands in the way of making it happen. White and Ngannou’s relationship has completely fallen apart in recent years after Ngannou’s prolonged dispute with the brass.
In the meantime, Ngannou is focused on earning his first professional boxing win, and we could be months away from seeing it come to fruition.
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