Eric Nicksick, head coach at Xtreme Couture, is discovering just how quickly comments can be taken out of context and generate widespread speculation within the mixed martial arts community. This recently happened following remarks he made about his fighter, Francis Ngannou.
In a recent interview with Home of Fight, conducted by a long-time teammate of Nicksick`s, Ngannou`s coach stated that from a purely business standpoint, Ngannou would be “100 percent” open to a potential return to the UFC in the future. He stressed that Ngannou holds no personal animosity towards the promotion. Nicksick also offered his thoughts on the current state of the UFC heavyweight division. These comments quickly escalated into questions about Ngannou`s possible return and potential fights against Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall, questions that were even directed at Dana White during a post-fight press conference.
Asked to clarify his earlier statements, Nicksick revealed he spoke with Ngannou directly after some of the headlines began circulating.
Nicksick explained that his initial remarks were primarily discussing hypothetical scenarios from a fan`s perspective, considering who would offer great competition. He recounted Ngannou texting him a clickbait headline that essentially claimed “Francis Ngannou wants back in the UFC,” asking, “Bubba, did you say this?” Nicksick denied the specific wording, calling the headline irresponsible journalism. He added that he and Ngannou were already on the phone discussing other matters and shared a laugh about the situation, noting they also laughed about Jon Jones tweeting around the same time.
Nicksick confirmed that Ngannou has been in Las Vegas recently and training with the team at Xtreme Couture. However, regarding future career moves or business deals, Nicksick emphasized that he is not the primary source of information. He typically learns details only after contracts are signed, joking that he`s often kept in the dark until just before something happens, likening himself to a character from the movie “Zero Dark Thirty.”
He clarified that Ngannou is currently just training, not actively engaged in business discussions at the gym. Nicksick reiterated that his earlier comments were spoken purely as a fan of the sport. He expressed support for Tom Aspinall getting a deserved title shot but also noted that the heavyweight division is in a difficult place and could use revitalization. He stressed that his opinions were simply him “chopping it up” and giving his personal perception, not based on any inside knowledge of Ngannou`s PFL contract or specific plans. He simply knows that Ngannou is a businessman who would consider options if they make sense.
A potential fight between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou is still widely seen as a massive attraction, even now. It would have been an monumental clash when the UFC originally attempted to make the fight years ago.
Ultimately, Ngannou chose to leave the UFC, vacating his heavyweight title. He then competed in high-profile boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. More recently, he made his PFL debut, securing a quick first-round knockout win over Renan Ferreira.
Nicksick feels that the unbooked Jones vs. Ngannou fight is a significant missed opportunity in MMA history. For him personally, he ranks it as the number one dream match that got away, though he also mentioned Randy Couture vs. Fedor Emelianenko as another significant one. He cited the “nostalgia” of two heavyweights clashing – one considered among the greatest of all time (Jones) and the other establishing himself as a dominant force (Ngannou) – as reasons why that specific matchup ranks so highly for him.
