UFC president Dana White has ruled out working with former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, seemingly ending any possibility of the Cameroonian-born fighter returning to the organisation.
Ngannou left the UFC in January 2023 after a dispute with White over his future, with the heavyweight title stripped from him following his departure.
The feud resurfaced during White’s appearance on Nightcap on Thursday, where he was asked about a possible fight between Ngannou and retired former UFC champion Jon Jones.
“Listen, Ngannou is on my Oscar De La Hoya list.
“Look at the history of Francis Ngannou and the other companies he’s been with. He’s a bad guy and I’m at a point in my life where I just don’t want to do business with bad guys. I just don’t,” White said, according to Yahoo News.
Ngannou joined the Professional Fighters League after leaving the UFC, where he also became chairman of PFL Africa.
He competed only once for the PFL, defeating Renan Ferreira in 2024, before leaving the organisation in March 2026.
Ngannou has since focused on boxing, facing former heavyweight world champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
A UFC return had remained unlikely because of his strained relationship with White, while Jones has retired.
White also praised Jones, describing him in similarly strong terms.
“Jon Jones is the baddest dude to ever walk the face of the earth.
“People always bust my balls when I say it, Jon Jones is not just a stone cold killer—That guy’s dark. He’s dark,” White said.
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