Francis Ngannou isn’t looking back — and certainly not at the UFC. Rumors of a potential Ngannou UFC return sparked after some ambiguous remarks from his coach Eric Nicksick, but striking coach Dewey Cooper shut them down quickly. According to Cooper, PFL has earned Ngannou’s loyalty in a way the UFC never did.
“I don’t see any scenario where Francis goes back to the UFC,” Cooper told reporters. “Others might feel differently, but I know how Francis thinks. When everyone turned their backs on him, the PFL stood tall beside him. That’s not something he’s going to forget.”
The Ngannou UFC rumors escalated after Dana White addressed them at UFC Baku, only for Ngannou to fire back on X: “Did I say I’m ever coming back?”
Cooper did leave the door slightly open for a potential co-promoted super fight between PFL and UFC, but emphasized that Ngannou isn’t chasing headlines. “Francis knows who was there when it mattered,” he said. “When people said he fumbled the bag or ducked fights, it was PFL that stood by him. That kind of support sticks with you.”
For now, Ngannou remains firmly aligned with the PFL, pushing forward with a contract and vision that prioritize freedom, equity, and long-term legacy — not just paychecks or nostalgia.
