This was announced in the next edition of the MMA Hour program by the well-known sports columnist Ariel Helwani.
“I heard that the negotiations are going well and close to completion,” the reporter said. “The news is that Francis has changed managers and is now being represented by people that the UFC is willing to deal with. Like I said, the plan is to get him together with Jon Jones next March.”
According to Helwani, the fact that the reigning WBC boxing champion, Tyson Fury, has lost interest in the duel with the Predator has made the Cameroonian heavyweight more accommodating.
“I’m pretty sure that Francis will sign a new contract. An important fact is that there is no more fight with Tyson Fury. Unless Fury defeats Chisora this Saturday and starts calling Ngannou again. But it doesn’t look like Fury is going to, so Francis no longer has any leverage and his prospects as a free agent are dim.”
Sources previously informed have revealed that a heavyweight title fight between Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones is in the works and could headline UFC 285 on March 4, with division third-seeded Curtis Blades as a backup.