Reuniting with an old colleague might unnerve the average boss.
But PFL CEO John Martin insists that working with Francis Ngannou again is a massive opportunity — not a hindrance.
In March, the PFL waved goodbye to former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou to allow a switch to Most Valuable Promotions, led by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian.
‘The Predator’ then made his debut on MVP’s first MMA show, knocking out Philipe Lins in one round on the undercard of Ronda Rousey’s 17-second submission of Gina Carano, live on Netflix.
It was a one-and-done scenario for Ngannou, with his next promotional home currently unknown.
However, there’s a strong belief that following the news of PFL’s merger with MVP this week, Ngannou could easily be tempted back, especially with the lure of another massive Netflix fight.
It is a reunion Martin himself essentially predicted when the two initially parted ways.
Martin: I told Ngannou our paths could cross again
“The last conversation I had with Francis, I told him what I really felt,” Martin told talkSPORT.com from PFL New York, where Usman Nurmagomedov knocked out Archie Colgan in one round to defend his lightweight title.
“I was very — I didn’t want the relationship between Francis and the PFL to end. I have an incredible amount of respect for him.
“As an athlete, I’ve spent some time with him personally and I also like him.
“But I was very happy for him that he had an opportunity so soon with MVP and I wished him well.
“And he may not remember this, but I said to him, you never know our paths could cross again and so the idea of working with Francis again would be a real big opportunity for us.”
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Who could Ngannou fight next?
Regardless of who hosts Ngannou’s return to MMA, there are many big names he could fight next.
One name that has been constantly linked to Ngannou this year is Rico Verhoeven.
Verhoeven, who came ever so close to stopping Oleksandr Usyk in his tracks when the pair duked it out in Egypt in May, was originally lined up to fight Ngannou at MVP MMA 1 but opted to box the Ukrainian great instead.
The Dutch kickboxing legend has pushed for an immediate rematch with Usyk, but the prospect of that happening seems slim at this stage.
Jon Jones is another closely tied to Ngannou, ever since the latter began dominating Dana White’s heavyweight division.
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After defeating Lins, Ngannou sent a message to his fellow former UFC heavyweight champion and Jones responded, saying, ‘This fight is gonna happen before we retire.’
Jones has a tricky contract situation with the UFC as things stand, but if he can find an agreement to get out of his current deal, a meeting with Ngannou could finally take place.
Meanwhile, PFL’s merger with MVP will allow scope for fighters to be offered contracts in boxing and MMA, Martin told talkSPORT.com.
So Ngannou could also return to the ring against the likes of Verhoeven, having already boxed Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the last three years.
UFC Schedule
There are still several blockbuster shows and exciting contests for fight fans to look forward to in 2026, and you can find the full list of all confirmed events and official bouts as part of talkSPORT.com’s UFC schedule.
The UFC, on average, puts on 13 to 14 premium events in a calendar year, with up to 30 smaller ‘Fight Night’ cards allowing prospects and less experienced fighters to showcase their talents.
On January 1, 2026, Dana White’s promotion signed a seven-year broadcast deal with CBS and Paramount+ for exclusive rights in the US, meaning the UFC has put on shows like never before this year.
With the historic first event in the new Paramount era, UFC 324, delivering huge success, and a one-of-a-kind fight card at the White House in June opening up the UFC to a new audience, the promotion remains a premium global sports brand, and fans are eager to keep track of results and upcoming fights.
