UFC CEO Dana White has firmly closed the door on any possibility of former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou returning to the promotion, labeling the Cameroonian star a “bad guy” and stating he has no interest in doing business with him again.
Appearing on the *Nightcap* podcast with Shannon Sharpe, Chad Ochocinco, and Joe Johnson, White was asked about a potential matchup involving Ngannou and retired pound-for-pound great Jon Jones. His response left no ambiguity.
“Listen, Ngannou is on my Oscar De La Hoya list,” White said. “Look at the history of Francis Ngannou and the other companies he’s been with. He’s a bad guy, man. 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.”
The comments mark the latest chapter in the long-running feud between White and Ngannou, which dates back to the fighter’s departure from the UFC in January 2023. Ngannou left as the reigning heavyweight champion after the two sides failed to agree on a new contract.
He was subsequently stripped of the title and has since competed in the Professional Fighters League (PFL), professional boxing (including bouts against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua), and independent promotions such as MVP MMA.
Ngannou, 40, responded to White’s remarks on social media platform X, referencing the legal efforts he made to exit the UFC. “Saying the guy that I spent over three years and a lot of money in law firms building an escape plan to get away from, meanwhile he was doing everything in his power to ensure I was never free,” Ngannou wrote. “You have to take that loss; it is irreversible.”
White has repeatedly expressed reluctance to work with Ngannou in recent years, previously stating he was “not a big fan” and would be “shocked” if the former champion ever returned. The latest comments reinforce that stance while White remains at the helm of the UFC.
Ngannou most recently competed in May 2026, securing a first-round knockout victory over Philipe Lins under the MVP MMA banner. Fans and media have periodically floated the idea of a high-profile return to the Octagon, particularly amid changes in the UFC heavyweight division, but White’s position appears definitive.
The ongoing dispute underscores the complex relationships that can develop between fighters and promotions in mixed martial arts. Both sides have moved forward on separate paths since 2023, with no indication of reconciliation on the horizon.