“I’m hearing Francis Ngannou is still interested… now we’re talking. That’s a real super fight. A clash of champions, not just hype,” wrote reigning UFC heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones on X last week, signaling his eagerness to finally settle the long-anticipated rivalry with ‘The Predator’. Jones’ comment came on the heels of a revealing statement from renowned coach Eric Nicksick, who ignited fresh speculation by confirming that former UFC champion is “100%” open to a return to the Octagon.

Francis Ngannou, once a dominant force in Dana White’s multi-billion dollar UFC empire, walked away from the promotion following a high-profile contract dispute. Since then, tensions between the Cameroonian and UFC CEO Dana White have remained heated. White has accused Ngannou of being “all about money,” while the former heavyweight champ has fired back, suggesting that the UFC never truly wanted him to be the face of the sport.

Yet, in a twist no one saw coming, ‘The Predator’ made a surprise appearance at a UFC event Thursday night, standing in support of fellow Nigerian and former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. The brief sighting was all it took to send shockwaves through the MMA world, sparking one burning question—Is Francis Ngannou on his way back to the UFC?

Coach Eric Nicksick made a U-turn on Francis Ngannou’s UFC return

UFC President Dana White, known for his no-nonsense attitude and long memory, seemed to shut down any hopes just last week. When asked about the possibility of Francis Ngannou returning to the Octagon, White bluntly told reporters, “Probably not.” Despite that, Nicksick offered a different perspective in an interview with MMA Fighting, where he addressed the media storm his earlier comments had created. He recalled how ‘The Predator’ himself reached out after seeing sensational headlines:

“So then Francis texts me one of those—just like a clickbait one. He’s like, ‘Bubba, did you say this?’ I’m like, ‘No!’ It was basically like, ‘Francis Ngannou wants back in the UFC.’ That’s all it was. I’m like, ‘Bro, what kind of non-f–king-journalistic post was this, dude?’ It was crazy. But yeah, we had a laugh about it, because Francis and I were actually on the phone talking about some other stuff.”

The relationship between Dana White and Francis Ngannou may seem completely broken—but if history has taught us anything, it’s that nothing is ever truly off the table with Dana. Take Tito Ortiz, for example. This is the same guy who once called Dana a “bald-headed prick” and even came close to boxing him in a real grudge match.

Things between them were toxic, with Tito even accusing Dana of scheming behind the scenes. Yet, despite all that, Dana brought Tito back to fight Chuck Liddell. Why? Simple—because when the business makes sense, Dana White is known to set aside grudges. At the end of the day, money talks louder than ego.

Joe Rogan praised Francis Ngannou despite feud with Dana White

Francis Ngannou is “full of sh-t,” declared UFC president Dana White during the UFC 308 post-fight press conference last year. Addressing the media, White detailed his side of the story behind the Cameroonian’s departure, accusing the former heavyweight champion of becoming overly focused on money. He also cast doubt on ‘The Predator’s pay-per-view draw, further straining their already rocky relationship.

Yet not everyone in the MMA world agrees with White’s take—especially not longtime UFC voice and podcast host Joe Rogan. Despite the Bossman’s strong stance, Rogan, who has hosted Francis Ngannou twice on The Joe Rogan Experience, painted a very different picture based on his personal interactions with “The Predator.”

During episode #2220 of the podcast, while chatting with guests Deancis Foster and Konstantin Kisin, the conversation shifted from politics to MMA. The topic of the never-realized Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou fight came up, prompting Rogan to share his thoughts,

“I love Francis, I love Dana. I don’t get it; I don’t know what happened between those two. They apparently have some sort of personal issue with each other. Dana says he’s not a good guy, but every interaction I’ve ever had with him—he’s a great guy. I really enjoy talking to him.”

With the tension between Dana White and Francis Ngannou still hanging in the air, the big question remains—will Dana allow the former heavyweight kingpin to return to the promotion he once dominated? Share your thoughts below.