Eric Nicksick is learning a common lesson in the mixed martial arts world: sometimes what you say can be misinterpreted or blown out of proportion. That`s exactly what happened after his recent remarks concerning Francis Ngannou`s potential return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
In a recent interview, Nicksick, Ngannou`s head coach at Xtreme Couture, stated that his fighter would be “100 percent” open to returning to the UFC someday for business reasons, as Ngannou holds no personal animosity towards the promotion. Nicksick also commented on the state of the UFC`s heavyweight division. These comments quickly sparked speculation and questions about a potential Ngannou return, specifically regarding possible matchups against Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall, questions that were even posed to Dana White at a post-fight press conference.
Asked to clarify his earlier statements, Nicksick disclosed that he spoke with Ngannou directly as some of the sensational headlines began circulating.
“It was more about exploring potential scenarios from a fan`s perspective,” Nicksick explained. “Naturally, I`m always going to suggest Francis and Jon are the top competitors out there.” He recounted how Ngannou texted him one of the clickbait headlines, asking, `Bubba, did you say this?` Nicksick responded, `No.`
The headline in question was something along the lines of, `Francis Ngannou wants back in the UFC.` Nicksick described it as “non-journalistic.” He added that he and Ngannou had a good laugh about it while already on the phone discussing other matters. During the conversation, they even saw a relevant tweet from Jon Jones and found it amusing.
Nicksick mentioned that Ngannou has recently been in Las Vegas, training at Xtreme Couture. However, regarding Ngannou`s next career move, Nicksick stated that he`s not the primary source for that information; he typically learns about upcoming fights or deals only after a contract has been finalized.
“Francis is just back in the gym, training with the guys, really,” Nicksick elaborated. “Nothing related to business, though. That`s why I found it funny that it seemed like I was sharing inside information. I genuinely don`t know anything about his deals. I`m honestly the last to know, like the guy in Zero Dark Thirty who just gets told, `Hey, you`re going tonight.` They keep me completely in the dark on all that stuff.”
“I`m simply a fan of the sport,” Nicksick continued. “I`m a fan of Tom [Aspinall]; I want to see him get his opportunity. He`s earned and deserves it. But I do think the heavyweight division is currently in a difficult spot. It really is. And that`s just me expressing my opinion on what could potentially revitalize this division, which needs some assistance. There are definitely options available.” He clarified, “I don`t know the specifics of Francis`s contract with the PFL; I don`t know any of that stuff. That was just me chatting with you, sharing my perspective on how I see things. And if that option [returning to UFC] is ever available, Francis is a businessman – that`s all I know.”
A potential clash between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou would undeniably remain a massive event, even potentially happening in 2025, and it certainly held immense appeal when the UFC previously attempted to organize the bout several years ago.
Ultimately, Ngannou decided to leave the UFC, vacating the heavyweight title, and subsequently competed in two highly lucrative boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. In October of the previous year, Ngannou made his PFL debut, securing a swift first-round knockout victory over Renan Ferreira at `Battle of the Giants`.
Every MMA enthusiast has that one dream fight that never materialized. For Nicksick, the failure to see Jones vs. Ngannou come to fruition would be particularly disappointing.
“For me personally, it would be the number one missed fight,” Nicksick stated. “Although Randy [Couture] vs. Fedor [Emelianenko] is also high on that list. I was obviously involved with Randy for some of his career. But yes, definitely Jon and Francis, just because of the sheer spectacle and the idea of two era-defining heavyweights colliding. One is widely considered the greatest of all time, and the other is striving to be recognized among the greatest heavyweights ever.”
“So yes, I believe that potential matchup ranks extremely high in terms of fights fans wished they could have seen.”
Murray Blackwood