Francis Ngannou may have moved on from the UFC, but the tension between the former heavyweight champion and UFC CEO Dana White continues to linger. Years after Ngannou exited the promotion, his head coach hopes both sides can eventually put their differences aside.
Ngannou’s relationship with White deteriorated following his decision to leave the UFC in 2023, vacate the heavyweight title and sign with the PFL. Since then, the back-and-forth has resurfaced periodically, including White’s recent claim that a past meeting with Ngannou nearly turned physical.
Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick addressed the ongoing feud during an interview with MMA Fighting, offering a more measured perspective on both men.
“I think that my relationship with certain individuals is different than the relationship with other people,” Nicksick said. “I know what Francis brings to me and my family and the way that he treats me, and that’s how I judge him—by his character. Same with Dana. Dana’s been nothing but nice and great to me.”
Nicksick made it clear that he hopes Ngannou and White can eventually reconcile, even if they never work together again.
“I wish that somewhere down the line these two could mend those fences, just on a personal level,” he said. “I’d rather have friends than enemies, and at the end of the day, I hope these guys can reconcile and put away their differences.”
The longtime coach also questioned why old issues continue to resurface years later.
“But when I look at it, it’s almost like just let him continue to live his life,” Nicksick added. “We don’t need to keep talking about this stuff. Whatever happened was probably seven or eight years ago. Why are we bringing up old stuff like that?”
Nicksick went a step further, suggesting that White may still hold respect for Ngannou despite their fractured relationship.
“This is my personal opinion,” Nicksick said. “I feel like deep down, Dana does like Francis, and I think he misses the fact that they don’t have him on the roster, especially with where the heavyweight division is right now.”
He concluded with a blunt message about letting go of lingering resentment.
“Hopefully, at some point, those two can sit down man to man and let all this go,” he said. “I don’t want to carry that kind of energy every day. Even if Francis never fights in the UFC again, just move on.”
As for what comes next, Ngannou does not appear close to a UFC return. He remains under contract with the PFL, where promotional executive John Martin recently teased something “special” for the organization’s biggest signing.
Nicksick revealed that he recently spoke with Ngannou and was impressed by his physical condition and mindset.
“Yeah, we talk all the time,” Nicksick said. “He was in Dubai, then back in Cameroon, and he’s coming back to Vegas soon. Francis always holds his cards close to the chest. He’s the kind of guy who might call me on a Sunday and say, ‘Hey, we’re fighting Friday.’”
According to Nicksick, Ngannou is eager to fully recommit to MMA.
“He told me, ‘Hey, Bubba, I want to come back and get back into MMA,’” Nicksick said. “He’s in really good shape. He’s the lightest I’ve ever seen him. His knee feels good, he’s training every day, and his weight is down.”
Nicksick believes a return to the cage could happen in 2026.
“I told him, ‘We’ve got something coming up,’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I’m working on a few things,’” Nicksick said. “Hopefully we see him back in the cage in 2026. The sky’s the limit for him.”
Ngannou has competed just once in the PFL since signing with the promotion, demolishing Renan Ferreira at PFL Battle of the Giants in October 2024. A potential matchup with PFL heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov looms, though Nicksick admits he would love to see “The Predator” back on the UFC stage.
“He can do whatever the hell he wants,” Nicksick said. “On a personal level, I’d love to see him compete in the UFC again because of the level of competition. But if he fights Nemkov, that’s serious too. Whoever steps up, we’ll be ready.”
For now, Ngannou’s future remains open, but his coach hopes the past doesn’t continue to overshadow what lies ahead.
