Eric Nicksick, head coach for Francis Ngannou at Xtreme Couture, recently found himself caught in a common MMA media cycle: innocent comments spiraled into widespread speculation. He continues to learn how quickly remarks can be twisted within the community.
In a prior interview with Home of Fight, Nicksick had suggested Ngannou might be open to a future UFC return strictly from a business viewpoint, emphasizing Ngannou held no personal animosity towards the promotion. He also offered thoughts on the state of the UFC heavyweight division. These remarks quickly ignited rumors, leading to intense questions about Ngannou`s potential return and hypothetical opponents like Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall, with speculation even reaching Dana White at a post-fight press conference.
Clarifying his statements to MMA Fighting, Nicksick explained that his initial comments were part of a discussion about hypothetical fan scenarios and the best potential competition. He revealed he exchanged texts with Ngannou after seeing a “clickbait” headline claiming Ngannou wanted back in the UFC. Nicksick denied saying *that* specifically, criticizing the headline`s sensationalism, and said they both found the situation amusing, even noting Jon Jones` timely tweets while they were discussing it.
Nicksick confirmed Ngannou has been training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas recently. However, regarding Ngannou`s future fight plans, Nicksick stressed he is often out of the loop until a deal is done. He likened himself to someone only informed about a mission right before it happens, indicating he gets information from Ngannou and his management *after* contracts are finalized, not before.
Expressing his perspective as a fan, Nicksick acknowledged his support for Tom Aspinall getting his deserved title shot. Yet, he feels the heavyweight division is currently in a difficult spot, needing something to revitalize it with available options. He explained that his comments about Francis being a “businessman” potentially open to options were purely his personal perception as a fan and observer, not based on insider knowledge of Ngannou`s PFL contract or specific upcoming plans.
The possibility of a Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou fight, which the UFC previously attempted to make, remains a massive `what if` scenario in 2025, though it would have been even bigger years ago. Ngannou ultimately left the UFC, signed with PFL, and engaged in high-profile boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua before making a dominant PFL debut win against Renan Ferreira.
For Nicksick, the potential Jones-Ngannou clash is arguably the biggest fight that never happened for him personally, even surpassing other legendary missed matchups like Randy Couture vs. Fedor Emelianenko. He sees it as a highly significant pairing featuring two heavyweight titans – one widely considered the greatest of all time, the other striving for legendary status – and believes it ranks very high among missed opportunities.
