Dana White shuts down Francis Ngannou's UFC return possibilities: "I'm not a fan"

Dana White could not have been clearer in his opinion on Francis Ngannou potentially returning to the UFC. 'The Predator' rose to prominence in the octagon and became the UFC heavyweight champion in 2021.

In 2023, Ngannou parted ways with the promotion and signed a deal with the Professional Fighters' League (PFL). In the two years since, White has taken aim at the former UFC fighter several times.

The UFC CEO appeared to be irked by Ngannou's personality, but White has not shared specific details of his dislike for the Cameroonian. After it was confirmed that now-former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones had retired from the sport, White was asked about a potential return of Ngannou, who had shared interest in potentially fighting in the octagon once again.

White's response was uploaded to X by Jed. I Goodman, where he said:

"He would consider coming back to the UFC if what? One thing I've learned over the years about Francis is Francis doesn't always mean what he says publicly. What he says behind the scenes are different that what he says publicly. I'm not a big fan. I would be shocked if Francis ever came back here, on lots of different levels. I'm not a fan, and he doesn't always mean what he says publicly."

Catch Dana White's comments below:

---

Dana White officially announces Jon Jones' retirement

Dana White was in attendance for UFC Baku, which took place on June 21. Following the event, White appeared in front of the media and announced that Jon Jones had officially retired from MMA.

'Bones' was the UFC heavyweight champion at the time of his retirement. There was severe pressure on Jones to face Tom Aspinall, the interim heavyweight champion, in a title unification bout. However, Jones made it clear that he was not interested in facing the Brit.

This led to accusations that the New York native was scared to face Aspinall, as Jones took the opportunity to troll much of the fanbase by goading them online.

During White's media appearance in Baku, he said:

"Jon Jones called us last night and retired. Jon Jones is officially retired, Tom Aspinall is the heavyweight champion of the UFC."

Catch Dana White's comments on Jon Jones below: