Francis Ngannou Coach Wants More MMA Time

Francis Ngannou’s head coach Eric Nicksick has identified the one part of the former UFC heavyweight champion’s path that he would change if he could: more time competing in mixed martial arts. Nicksick described that feeling as a selfish wish, rooted in the development he has seen from Ngannou and in his belief that additional time in the cage could have allowed the Cameroonian and French fighter to pursue even more in the sport. Ngannou is currently a free agent after leaving the Professional Fighters League in March.

The comments place the emphasis on Francis Ngannou’s MMA activity rather than on a criticism of his time in boxing. Nicksick said the boxing side has also been a learning experience for him as a coach, giving him a chance to watch Dewey Cooper and other coaches work on game plans in an area Nicksick said he was less familiar with. His regret instead concerns the amount of time available for Ngannou’s MMA development, particularly as Ngannou turned 40 earlier this month. That distinction matters because Nicksick presented the two experiences differently: boxing brought coaching education, while more MMA fights were what he personally wanted to see.

Nicksick sees unfinished MMA development

Nicksick pointed to Francis Ngannou’s progress from the Jairzinho fight through the Ciryl Gane fight and to the present when explaining why he wanted more MMA time. He said there were still many things being advanced and that he felt Ngannou could break a lot of records and be remembered as the greatest ever to do it if there had been more time in the cage. The coach’s wording was aspirational rather than a claim that those records were already achieved. His stated point was that extra MMA opportunities could have extended a developmental process he believes was continuing.

Francis Ngannou’s most recent action came under the Most Valuable Promotions banner, where he scored a devastating first-round knockout win over Philipe Lins. The bout took place on the Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano card at Intuit Dome in California in May and was broadcast on Netflix. Ngannou has not fought since that win, which came on a one-fight deal with Jake Paul’s MVP banner. Earlier, Ngannou left the UFC in 2023 after his contract expired and he was unable to reach a new agreement with Dana White’s promotion at that time. Those confirmed milestones explain why Nicksick’s comments focus on the limited MMA time he wishes Ngannou had received.

Francis Ngannou’s recent combat-sports path

Francis Ngannou’s run outside the UFC has included both MMA and crossover boxing. In 2023, he fought Tyson Fury in Riyadh, knocked down the former WBC champion and ultimately lost by a contentious split decision. In 2024, Ngannou met Anthony Joshua in the squared circle and suffered a knockout loss in the second round. Nicksick said he used the boxing period to learn from Cooper and the other coaches, while maintaining that he would selfishly like to see Ngannou fight more MMA. The two remarks form the clearest reading of his position: he values what was learned in boxing, but his personal regret is the lost potential for additional cage time.

• Nicksick’s stated wish is for Francis Ngannou to have had more time in MMA, where he believes the fighter’s development was still advancing.
• Francis Ngannou is currently a free agent and has not fought since his first-round knockout of Philipe Lins under the MVP banner.

Nicksick’s comments do not announce a fight or a new contract for Francis Ngannou. They offer a direct assessment from the coach’s perspective: the regret is not framed as the experience gained through boxing, but as the chance to see more of Ngannou’s MMA development. With Ngannou a free agent and inactive since the Lins victory, the coach’s wish underscores how strongly he values further time for Francis Ngannou in the cage.