A planned super fight between Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, and Rico Verhoeven, a star in Glory Kickboxing, will not happen as expected. This is not due to reasons many might assume.
After Francis Ngannou`s successful MMA return where he defeated Renan Ferreira, talks began about a crossover fight with Rico Verhoeven in the PFL SmartCage. Both fighters and their respective promotions seemed interested in making this event a reality. Rico Verhoeven himself expressed confidence in securing a fight with Ngannou in a recent interview.
However, the Ngannou versus Verhoeven fight is now postponed indefinitely. This delay is caused by Artem Vakhitov, a former rival of Alex Pereira, making a surprising career move.
Artem Vakhitov Chooses Kickboxing Over UFC Contract
Artem Vakhitov, who recently signed with the UFC after a successful appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series, has declined the UFC contract. Instead, the former Glory light heavyweight champion, who previously defeated Alex Pereira in Glory Kickboxing, decided to return to Glory.
Failing to reach an agreement with the UFC for his debut fight, Vakhitov will now face Rico Verhoeven at Glory 100 on June 14th, competing for Verhoeven`s heavyweight title.
Because Vakhitov turned down the UFC offer and is contractually obligated to fight Verhoeven, the anticipated Ngannou vs. Verhoeven fight is currently impossible.
Artem Vakhitov explained his choice on The Ariel Helwani Show, stating that he and UFC could not agree on terms. When Glory offered him a fight with Rico Verhoeven for the heavyweight title, especially with other Russian fighters returning to Glory, he accepted the opportunity, citing it as a good show and financially beneficial.
While a fight between Ngannou and Verhoeven is still possible in the future, it is unlikely in the near term. Ngannou is expected to focus on boxing, aiming for a fight with Deontay Wilder, and Verhoeven is now set to face Vakhitov.
Francis Ngannou Aims for Boxing Victory
Francis Ngannou has been indicating a potential boxing match with Deontay Wilder as his next fight. Ngannou has a 0-2 record in professional boxing, with losses against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Rico Verhoeven mentioned that negotiations for a fight with Ngannou had progressed to the `halfway point`. Verhoeven was even temporarily removed from Glory’s heavyweight tournament lineup due to these discussions. However, with Vakhitov’s decision to leave UFC, Glory quickly arranged for Verhoeven to fight Vakhitov in kickboxing.
Francis Ngannou has one fight remaining on his PFL contract, with the opponent yet to be determined. However, boxing seems to be his current priority. The crossover fight with Verhoeven has been postponed but could be revisited in the future.
Rupert Hartwell