Does a Francis Ngannou return present real problems for anyone?
Franis Ngannou has had an perplexing post-UFC career. From the controversial split decision loss to Tyson Fury, to a dominant loss to Anthony Joshua, much can be said. Yes, he had a singular PFL one-off victory, but that was approaching a year ago. Before, he had a multiple-year lay-off, last fighting Ciryl Gane in an extremely controversial fight. Now, Ngannou is 38 years old with a scary K.O loss and bad knees. There’s much to wonder about how he would even perform within the setting of the UFC at this level. Could an ill-fated run be at hand, or does Ngannou have the potential to recapture heavyweight glory?
While a handful of familiar faces remain in the heavyweight rankings from about a decade ago, the heavyweight dynamic is far different now. The K.O. king, Derrick Lewis, is in the rankings, Alexander Volkov remains a threat, etc. There are fighters that Ngannou has already defeated, such as Curtis Blaydes, and, of course, Gane, who was his last UFC win. There is new blood in the division as always, however, and a small handful of the fighters present unique issues for The Predator.
Please remember that Ngannou is still a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, who possesses an unseen level of power within his striking. A singular touch from the former champion could immediately put the lights out of even the most reinforced chins. For logical reasons, the insight into an Aspinall match-up makes far more sense. There is a different level of fluidity that Aspinall possesses in his striking that few heavyweights have. If this fight were to occur, it would likely feature an Ngannou dismantling across five rounds from Aspinall. There’s nothing the current champion lacks within his fighting arsenal, and there simply isn’t enough to tell us The Predator would fare well outside of a puncher’s chance.
Another “newer” combatant within the heavyweight ranks is Jailton Almeida. Almeida has gone 8-1 within the UFC with the only loss being to Curtis Blaydes. There is an argument to make that he doesn’t have the striking prowess needed to beat Ngannou, or that he has yet to fight a fighter like Ngannou. Both have a degree of reality to them. There is no striker like Ngannou, but Almeida has already defeated Lewis, who beat Ngannou in a puzzling fight. An Almeida match-up would feature several variations of ground techniques that could cause problems for The Predator.
Well, no. The disappointing truth in the fact is that Ngannou is not what the people once saw in the octagon. Between the ailments on his body as well as being knocked out violently, it’s hard to comprehend how Ngannou would perform in 2026. A thrust into the title picture could lead to disaster, but a no-name lost would seal the exact same fate. An openness to returning to the UFC doesn’t mean there is a guarantee, but it is an intricate piece to look at.
It’s upsetting to look at, but the UFC has passed by Ngannou. It happens at the change of every era, and at the change of every guard. There is simply anew reality within the division. Ngannou himself marked a large change within the division after completely dismantling previous legends like Stipe Miocic and Cain Velasquez. An acknowledgment of the career that took place should be had, especially with it being as legendary as it is. The current picture is a tight frame,and unfortunately, one of the best power punches the UFC has ever seen no longer fits inside of it.
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