Ariel Helwani provides positive update on latest contact negotiations between Francis Ngannou and the UFC

Ariel Helwani has provided a positive update on the latest contract negotiations between Francis Ngannou and the UFC.

The 40 year old MMA reporter believes that Francis Ngannou and the UFC will come to an agreement.

The last time Ngannou fought in the Octagon was in January of this year at UFC 270. It was at that time that ‘The Predator’ (17-3 MMA) defended his belt against Ciryl Gane (11-1 MMA).

Following the fight, Ngannou underwent surgery on his knee.

Francis Ngannou has been unhappy with the UFC and has made it known. The heavyweight fighter has been asking the UFC for more money and more freedom to perhaps try out boxing, but to date the UFC seems adverse on both fronts.

It is true that Ngannou will become a free agent as soon as his UFC contract is set to expire.

However, MMA reporter Ariel Helwani has shared some insight into the progress of Ngannou making a new deal with the UFC.

In speaking on ‘The MMA Hour’, Helwani had this to say (h/t MMANews):

“Francis is about to become a free agent. But I’m hearing that talks are actually pretty good. And you know, you saw Eric Nicksick, his coach referenced March 4, I’ve been saying this. How long have I been saying if they couldn’t get a fight in December for Jones, the March early pay-per-view was when they were going to try to do Jones? The newest stuff is that he’s no longer, Francis, represented by CAA. That opens the door to Endeavor wanting to do business.”

Helwani believes the change of representation would allow the UFC’s parent company Endeavor to be more inclined to negotiate a new contract with Francis Ngannou.

Continuing Helwani said:

“I feel right now very confident that he’s going to resign. Plus, there’s no Fury fight out there. Unless Fury gets on the mic on Saturday after beating Chisora for the third time, which we all expect is going to happen, and says, Francis, where are you at? It doesn’t seem like Fury is into that anymore, right? He has this change of heart. He wants to fight. He wants big fights. He wants to keep going. I would be shocked. Where’s Francis going? Where’s he going? Doesn’t have the leverage that maybe we thought he did.”

So there you have it, Helwani believes the UFC and Ngannou will come to terms and get the deal done. Helwani also believes we will see a Ngannou vs Jon Jones next.

Would you like to see Ngannou back fighting in the Octagon? Do you like the idea of a  Ngannou vs Jones match-up?

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