Francis Ngannou Eyes Next Fight After Calling Out Jon Jones

Francis Ngannou is looking for his next fight after a successful return to MMA last month, with a first-round knockout win against Philipe Lins on Netflix's Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight card.

What's Next for Francis Ngannou?

Ngannou told TMZ he's open to a bout against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven, finding him "very compelling" and "very interesting". After his win against Lins, Ngannou called out longtime rival and fellow former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, confidently declaring, "This fight is gonna happen before we retire".

The Path to Jon Jones

However, with Jones still under contract with the UFC, Ngannou knows setting up a fight between them won't be simple, so he's considering other options like Verhoeven. Ngannou previously told B/R, "I'm not holding up my life" for a fight against Jones, and calling out Verhoeven indicates he's sticking to that.

Verhoeven as an Opponent

Verhoeven, who has also competed in boxing and MMA, was in talks to be Ngannou's opponent on the Netflix card, but opted for a boxing match against unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk instead. Verhoeven opened eyes with a strong performance before losing by a controversial stoppage in the 11th round. Ngannou is open to facing Verhoeven in either boxing or MMA, saying "Either one. I would like to fight him".

The Future of Francis Ngannou

Nothing is official yet between Ngannou and Verhoeven, but Ngannou made it clear, "That's what I have in mind for right now", as he looks to his next move in the MMA world. Ngannou's desire to fight Verhoeven shows he's not waiting for Jones and is ready for his next challenge. The former UFC heavyweight champion is coming off a strong win and is looking to keep his momentum going with another big fight.