A possible tremendous struggle between Francis Ngannou and Glory famous person Rico Verhoeven is off the desk, however not for the explanation you’d count on.
A showdown between former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and Glory Kickboxing’s Rico Verhoeven appeared on the cusp of coming to fruition after mutual curiosity from the 2 giants. After ending former PFL champion Renan Ferreira in his MMA return final yr, Ngannou teased a possible crossover struggle with Verhoeven for his subsequent look within the PFL SmartCage.
Ngannou, Verhoeven, and the 2 promotions appeared on the identical web page in making the crossover reserving change into a actuality. Verhoeven seemed confident in securing the Ngannou fight throughout his most up-to-date sitdown with Bloody Elbow.
However the Ngannou vs. Verhoeven struggle is indefinitely delayed after a head-scratching resolution by considered one of Alex Pereira‘s former rivals.
Artem Vakhitov turned down DWCS contract to return to kickboxing
Current UFC signee Artem Vakhitov, regardless of incomes a contract on Dana White’s Contender Sequence final yr, declined the UFC’s supply and entered a quick free company interval. The previous Glory gentle heavyweight champion handed Pereira considered one of his few profession defeats by majority resolution at Glory 78.
After failing to come back to phrases with the UFC on a deal for his debut struggle, Vakhitov will return to Glory later this yr to struggle Verhoeven at Glory 100 for the latter’s heavyweight title on June 14th.
With Vakhitov’s declined contract supply, and Verhoeven contractually locked as much as face Vakhitov, the Ngannou vs. Verhoeven struggle is firmly off the desk for the foreseeable future.
Throughout a latest look on The Ariel Helwani Show, Vakhitov defined his uncommon resolution to say no the UFC contract in favor of combating Verhoeven.
“Sadly, we couldn’t attain an settlement on some issues,” Vakhitov mentioned of the UFC’s supply. “After we bought a proposal and we noticed the information of all of the Russian fighters coming again to Glory, and bought a proposal to struggle Rico and probably change into a double champion, we agreed very simply.
“For the present, for good cash, why not?”
Ngannou vs. Verhoeven may doubtlessly occur at a later date. However with Ngannou’s focused return to boxing, and with Verhoeven set to face Vakhitov at Glory 100, the struggle isn’t anticipated to happen anytime quickly.
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Francis Ngannou eyes showdown with former boxing champ as he vies for first profession win
As for Ngannou, he’s repeatedly teased a potential fight with Deontay Wilder later this yr for his return to the ring. Ngannou is 0-2 in his skilled boxing profession with losses to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Verhoeven revealed that talks to face Ngannou have been on the ‘midway level’ on the negotiation desk. Ngannou additionally mentioned the Verhoeven struggle in latest interviews.
Verhoeven was briefly left off the Glory roster for its upcoming heavyweight match as rumored Ngannou struggle talks moved ahead. However after Vakhitov’s UFC go away, Glory pounced on the alternative at hand Verhoeven an opponent for his kickboxing comeback.
Ngannou has one fight left on his PFL contract in opposition to a to-be-determined opponent, however boxing seems to be his prime precedence proper now. A crossover struggle with Verhoeven fell aside and could possibly be revisited down the road.
