Francis Ngannou will meet with ONE Championship boss Chatri Sityodtong to discuss a potential move to the promotion.
Ngannou, 36, split with the UFC at the beginning of this year after failing to reach an agreement over a new contract. The Cameroonian was linked to a highly-anticipated fight against Jon Jones for months but he opted to vacate his title and leave the promotion. Ngannou could now be set for a cage return as Sityodtong said on The MMA Hour: "I am going to meet Francis this Saturday.
“He has a bunch of offers on the table. He’s waiting for our final offer. He and I will sit down and talk and for sure; ONE can give him the biggest offer on the table out of all his bids, but it has to work for him, it has to work for us. I just believe that meeting somebody, you get the energy.
“I think there’s going to be big news on Francis shortly, and I think he’s taking his time. From the few interactions I’ve had with Francis, he’s very thoughtful and methodical and careful. At the same time, he’s a very principled man. That’s one thing I’ve learned about him.
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"He’s very principled. He does things on principle. A dollar here, a dollar there won’t sway him. It’s principles. That’s what’s very admirable about him. At the same time, I do believe the world is his oyster. I do believe he’s a big pay-per-view draw in boxing or in MMA.”
Ngannou revealed his plans to compete in boxing before making his MMA return, but that could now be scuppered by a rumoured four-man heavyweight tournament taking place in December. The tournament involves Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk - three of which were potential opponents that Ngannou was hoping to face in the ring.
Sityodtong thinks Ngannou wouldn't be troubled by any heavyweight in the likes of PFL and Bellator, insisting that ONE has the toughest challengers in his weight class. The ONE heavyweight title is currently held by Arjhan Bhullar, a former UFC fighter with a professional record of 11-1.
“I think that Francis will run through the heavyweight divisions of all the other organizations,” Sityodtong added. “The only heavyweight division that will give him a challenge is ONE. I do believe the world is his oyster, he’s a big pay-per-view draw in boxing or in MMA. I like Francis. I think he brings a lot to the table.”
