Known as “The Predator”, there are few mixed martial artists as devastating and famous as Francis Ngannou right now. Currently fighting in the UFC, Ngannou has everything you would want in an MMA athlete at this weight. Strong and tough, he also has true knockout power. His right-hand is the stuff of legend and he has used his powerful strike to knock out many of his opponents.
Although a two-fight losing blip did tarnish Ngannou’s record somewhat, there is no doubt he has roared back into full form since. This culminated in a superb win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 recently. While the fighter’s win was no surprise per se, the way he used groundwork skills to achieve it was, to many. By adding this to his locker, it leaves him as a truly powerful competitor who many see dominating the heavyweight division in UFC, assuming his contract issues are resolved.
But are there any contenders out there who might topple him?
Jon Jones
If there is one fighter who could present a real challenge to Ngannou, it is UFC icon Jon Jones. This bout would also be one that MMA fans would love to see and would attract a lot of viewers. It would also be a fight that you could see many people betting on. Whether it is online betting in TN at top sportsbooks or wagering from other states where this is legal, many fans would love to add extra spice to this bout by betting on it. It would be a tough one to call, though – there would probably not be a hot favorite going into it and Jones would certainly pose problems for The Predator.
But why is this true? To begin with, Jones is very experienced and could use this extra knowledge to help him find a way past his less experienced opponent. He is also an extremely good fighter, who has the speed and grappling chops to trouble Ngannou. Although untested at heavyweight, Jones could be the one MMA athlete to take the current champ down.
Stipe Miocic
One of the best future opponents for Ngannou who would also challenge him is Stipe Miocic. Although we might not hear too much about Miocic currently in UFC, he is undoubtedly another legendary figure in MMA. Although he actually lost to Ngannou in March 2021, he has also beaten him once before. This was in 2019, when Miocic took home a unanimous decision to defeat the fighter from Cameroon.
With such a history between the two, this fight would be immense and would finally settle who is the better fighter. Miocic could certainly trouble Ngannou again with his own powerful punching, vicious leg kicks, movement and decent wrestling skills. The only question is whether Miocic is in good enough shape to take the fight on and if he has the motivation to come back into UFC.
Tom Aspinall
This suggestion is a stretch and does rely on things panning out well for Aspinall in the immediate future. Firstly, he needs to beat Alexander Volkov at the next UFC event in London during March 2022. If he does this, he is on a 5-0 record and with names like Volkov, Arlovski and Spivak defeated, this could be enough to set him up for a fight with Ngannou, when the champ is next ready to compete.
28-year-old Brit Aspinall might have what it takes to get past The Predator and will surely be hungry to claim a huge scalp, if he gets the chance. With awesome speed and good power, his background in boxing, Thai boxing, BJJ and wrestling will make him someone Ngannou is wary of.
Can anyone survive Ngannou’s power?
The UFC 270 schedule was simply amazing and the bout between Ngannou and Gane a real stunner. In truth, there are not many heavyweight UFC fighters around who can stand up to the power Francis Ngannou brings to the table. This makes him a truly dangerous opponent and someone who could reign as champion for a while yet. Although his ongoing contract dispute with UFC is a distraction, there is no doubt that he is a star name for the championship. In terms of UFC competitors who might have what it takes to put him down, those discussed here are the best candidates right now.