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If UFC president Dana White is to be believed, former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou won’t ever step into the Octagon once more as an lively UFC fighter. White shut the door on a future Ngannou return when talking with media members after UFC 285’s ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday.
Ngannou formally turned a free agent in January when he and the UFC couldn’t attain an settlement on a brand new contract following the expiration of his earlier contract in December. Ngannou had beforehand been vocal about his displeasure over his battle purses, resulting in an more and more bitter dispute between the perimeters.
“No. We negotiated with him for years,” White stated when requested if a Ngannou return was attainable. “It’s over, that is over. He’ll by no means be within the UFC once more. … I by no means say by no means, however I’ll provide you with a by no means on that one. We tried.”
Ngannou left the UFC on a six-fight successful streak and because the heavyweight champion. In his ultimate UFC bout, Ngannou defeated Ciryl Gane by choice.
Gane will now battle former mild heavyweight champion Jon Jones for the vacant title at UFC 285 on Saturday.
White has a historical past of going again on large declarations, together with when he acknowledged ladies would by no means battle within the UFC. Valentina Shevchenko makes the eighth protection of her ladies’s flyweight championship in Saturday’s co-main occasion.
