Francis Ngannou (image via UFC/YouTube)

By FCF Staff

As Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane get set to fight for the UFC’s heavyweight title, according to Dana White, the promotion’s last heavyweight champ will never fight for the company again.

The belt is on the line tonight at UFC 285, due to the departure of now-former champ, Francis Ngannou, who left the promotion after a pro-longed, contract dispute.

While speaking with the media ahead of UFC 285, White shot down the possibility of the feared striker returning to the UFC (quotes via MMA Junkie).

“No. We negotiated with him for years. It’s over, that’s over. He’ll never be in the UFC again.”

“Yeah, I never say never, but I’ll give you a never on that one,” White said. “We tried.”

The 36-year-old Ngannou (17-3), who has also repeatedly expressed an interest in boxing professionally, has yet to sign a new deal with another organization.

Ngannou won the UFCs heavyweight title in March, 2021, by knocking out Stipe Miocic. In his last UFC outing, in January, 2022, he worked his way to a unanimous decision win over Gane.