The UFC heavyweight champion’s head coach, Eric Nicksick, believes there are many bright days ahead for his pupil and the promotion.
While Francis Ngannou and the UFC are at odds in an ongoing contract dispute, Nicksick remains optimistic that both sides will eventually settle their differences. As a head coach, Nicksick tries to stick to the training and gameplanning side of things but admits there are times he wants to provide his input.
“I understand that this is a business, and I try to allow management to handle those kind of things, so I never really try to step across, and I just try to stay in my lane,” Nicksick recently told MMA Junkie Radio. “I do understand that the UFC, essentially, they pay a lot of my bills. Not them personally, but the fighters that fight for the UFC. I have to bite my lip on certain things, but I have to be understanding in some of their areas, as well, as far as the business goes.”
Ngannou and the UFC were unable to agree on a new contract ahead of this past weekend’s UFC 270, which meant “The Predator” entered the cage with an uncertain future. Although Ngannou defeated Ciryl Gane via unanimous decision and his contract was automatically extended for three fights or a year longer, the future is still as unclear as it was before the fight.
“I really think they’re going to get a deal done,” Nicksick said. “I think they’re going to figure this thing out. I think they’re going to get a deal done, and I think these guys are going to make a lot of money together, and everybody can be happy at the end of the day. I don’t like to worry too much about all that stuff.”
Notably, UFC president Dana White did not place the UFC championship belt on Ngannou at UFC 270 as he usually does for the winner of championship bouts – and did for the co-main event when Deiveson Figueiredo defeated Brandon Moreno. While White’s absence has sparked a number of theories on why he snubbed the belting of Ngannou, Nicksick believes there may be an explanation but thinks it simply wasn’t a good look.
“I don’t understand why Dana did that, but he might have his reasons why,” Nicksick said. “I don’t think it looked good, but it is what it is, man.”
Check out the clip above to hear Nicksick discuss the situation and watch the full interview in the video below.
