Francis Ngannou already has a name in mind for his next combat-sports move.
The former UFC heavyweight champion told TMZ Sports that a fight with Rico Verhoeven is “very compelling” and “very interesting,” though no deal has been finalized.
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Ngannou, 39, is coming off a first-round knockout of Philipe Lins after returning to MMA on Netflix’s first live MMA broadcast. Verhoeven, one of kickboxing’s biggest heavyweight names, recently pushed Oleksandr Usyk deep into a heavyweight boxing title fight before losing by 11th-round stoppage.
The matchup has already come close once. Earlier this year, Ngannou said Verhoeven was the original name discussed for his May MMA return before Verhoeven instead signed to box Usyk.
Ngannou Said Boxing or MMA Would Work
TMZ Sports asked Ngannou whether a Verhoeven fight would happen in boxing or MMA. He did not sound tied to one ruleset.
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“Either one. I would like to fight him,” Ngannou said.
Ngannou built his name in MMA, crossed into boxing against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, then returned to the cage against Lins. Verhoeven became a dominant kickboxing heavyweight before stepping into a major boxing title fight against Usyk.
Ngannou told TMZ that “nothing has been done yet,” but added that Verhoeven is what he has in mind “for right now.”
The Fight Was Discussed Before Ngannou Faced Philipe Lins
BoxingScene reported in March that Ngannou and Verhoeven had already been explored as a possible MMA matchup before both men moved in different directions.
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Ngannou said at the time that MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian contacted him with an offer and that the original name was Verhoeven. “I was like, ‘Damn, that sounds good,’” Ngannou said, according to BoxingScene. “I never thought about fighting him in MMA but was excited for it.”
That plan changed when Verhoeven signed for the Usyk fight. Ngannou instead moved forward with Lins on the May 16 MVP MMA card in Los Angeles.
Netflix reported that Ngannou stopped Lins at 4:31 of the first round. The bout was part of the Rousey vs. Carano card, which Netflix described as its first live MMA event and Most Valuable Promotions’ first MMA show.
Verhoeven’s Usyk Fight Made the Matchup Bigger
Verhoeven’s boxing detour did not hurt interest in an Ngannou fight. It likely made the idea easier to sell.
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Reuters reported that Usyk stopped Verhoeven with one second left in the 11th round of their May 23 WBC title fight near the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Verhoeven entered with only one previous professional boxing match, but he kept the fight close enough that two judges had it even after 10 rounds and one had him ahead, according to scorecards cited by Reuters.
The stoppage became a talking point because Verhoeven beat the count after a late knockdown before the referee waved off the fight. Verhoeven told DAZN afterward that he thought the stoppage was early and called for a rematch.
Ngannou has his own history with a debated boxing result. He dropped Fury in their 2023 crossover fight and lost by split decision. TMZ noted that many fans questioned the result after Ngannou held his own against the unbeaten heavyweight champion.
No Deal Has Been Announced
For now, Ngannou-Verhoeven remains a target rather than a signed fight. TMZ reported that Ngannou said nothing has been finalized, even though he called the matchup compelling and said he would accept it under either boxing or MMA rules.
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The fight would bring together two heavyweight names with crossover momentum: Ngannou after his MMA return on Netflix, and Verhoeven after a stronger-than-expected boxing performance against Usyk.
