A year out from a five-round shellacking courtesy of then-champ Stipe Miocic, it looks as though Francis Ngannou will get another shot to return to the upper echelon of the UFC’s heavyweight division after ESPN reports that the organisation is lining up a bout between the Cameroonian and former champion Cain Velasquez.
AKA fighter Velasquez is considered by many to be the best heavyweight in the sport’s history but a troublesome back injury, among other afflictions, have significantly curtailed his career over the last five years, limiting him to just two octagon appearances during that time.
His most recent performance was a June 2016 win against Travis Browne at UFC 200.
Tick…tock… pic.twitter.com/HECnVItbsr
— Cain Velasquez (@cainmma) December 12, 2018
Ngannou, meanwhile, ended his own two-fight skid last month by stopping Curtis Blaydes inside the first minute of the first round in China. A win against Velasquez, though, would significantly eclipse the wins he enjoyed against Andrei Arlovski and Alistair Overeem earlier in The Predator’s UFC tenure.
ESPN reports that, while the bout isn’t yet signed, it looks to be moving in that direction and will be housed on the organisation’s card Phoenix, Arizona, on February 19.
