BREAKING: Francis Ngannou announces he will return to MMA after a boxing gig

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has confirmed that he will return to compete in MMA.

'The Predator' recently vacated his heavyweight title, cutting ties with the UFC after unsuccessful contract negotiations spanning over nearly two years. Amongst several other points of disagreement was Ngannou's demand to compete in a crossover boxing match.

While 'The Predator' eventually plans to return to MMA, he remains adamant about a crossover boxing match, even if it's a one-off. The former UFC heavyweight champ also stated that he is currently being courted by multiple MMA promotions for striking a partnership. The 36-year-old said in an interview with The Schmo:

"I will definitely go back into MMA but not before the boxing. I prefer to go to boxing first, like one fight. And then go back into MMA cage. Yes but obviously there's MMA promotions that are reaching out to see how we can structure, how we can get into business together. How we can become a partner mostly."

Catch Francis Ngannou's comments below:

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Bellator president Scott Coker, in his latest pitch to Ngannou, laid down a lucrative option for the former UFC champ's career. Coker noted that Bellator's parent company, Viacom, also has Showtime Boxing under their umbrella, making it a perfect deal as per Francis Ngannou's latest demands.

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