Bare-knuckle boxing boss David Feldman wants to sign UFC star Francis Ngannou to his promotion BKFC if he does not renew his current deal.
The Cameroon star continues to remain in showdown talks with the UFC over a potential new contract after successfully defending his heavyweight title against Cyril Gane.
Ngannou has expressed his desire to step into the boxing ring before his career is over, and has made several plays to try and ensure a clause is included in any deal with the UFC to allow it.
BKFC promoter Feldman believes that Ngannou could be attracted to the company and have been helped by their recent new partnership with Triller.
“We’re going after the biggest name, but we’ll see what happens there. Biggest name in free agency," Feldman said on the MMA Hour. “I’m not sure if he’s out of that window yet, but we’re definitely making a play for him.
“At that stage, you’re talking about the money, right? If we can back that kind of money up, we’re in the game. I don’t think we’re out of the game for anything right now.
"To be honest with you, we have a good partner that we just partnered with that likes to think outside the box, likes to disrupt things as we do. And I think that there’s a great opportunity for us to get the biggest and best names out there.”
Ngannou fought out of his current UFC deal against Gane early this year and is demanding higher pay on any potential new deal alongside a clause to enter the boxing ring.
He has accepted the challenge of boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on multiple occasions with the 'Gypsy King' ready to make a crossover bout happen in 2023.
This will likely be pushed back further with Ngannou ruled out of action for nine months suffering a knee injury.
However talks remain ongoing between Ngannou and UFC president Dana White in hope that an agreement can be reached.
Would you like to see Francis Ngannou join BKFC? Let us know in the comments section below
The UFC kingpin has confirmed that Ngannou is free to leave if he opts against signing a new deal and no breakthrough can be made.
Bellator champion Gegard Mousasi has tipped the UFC to release the heavyweight champion and is keen to see him take to boxing.
"I hope he goes to boxing and makes some money. They might let him go," Mousasi told James Lynch.
"They want maybe Jon Jones to come back, you know, and they might let him go [to] make an example. They do [that] stuff, a lot of fighters walked away and came back so I know UFC plays sometimes.
"If he wants to get paid, if he can do some boxing fight, [he'd] make in one fight what he'd make in 10 fights in the UFC. He should do that."
