UFC news: Mayweather vs. McGregor MMA odds, Francis Ngannou wants Brock Lesnar
With the stacked UFC 223 card approaching on April 7 in Brooklyn, New York, we're entering what's shaping up to be an exciting time of the year for the UFC. As we roll through 2018, the news and rumors within the mixed martial arts world are steadily coming in, and we at CBS Sports are here to keep you updated on some of the biggest headlines making the rounds. Let's have a look at some of the biggest stories for Monday, March 19.
Francis Ngannou has some options for the future
Knockout artist Francis Ngannou was unsuccessful in his quest to take the UFC heavyweight championship away from Stipe Miocic at UFC 220, so now he's on a road back to title contention. To get back to being the No. 1 contender in the division, Ngannou will have to dispose of some big names along the way, and it certainly seems there are some nice options on the table in that regard.
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Two top heavyweight names have already called for the chance to face Ngannou next. Mark Hunt recently told Sporting News that he would like to get into the Octagon with the Cameroon-native on the Hawaii card in August, while the always-outspoken Derrick Lewis has been clamoring to face Ngannou as well. As it pertains to Lewis, Ngannou seems to be very much up for that.
Derrick has been talking some of his sh*t while I was off . Can someone please let him know that I'm here now, so if he really wants me, he should send his manager to deal with @ufc — Francis NGannou (@francis_ngannou) March 18, 2018
But, what does Ngannou want? Who does the former title challenger see himself getting into the Octagon with if it were up to him? Well, as he told Ariel Helwani on "The MMA Hour" on Monday, he would love to see Brock Lesnar make his rumored UFC return so those two can step inside the cage to do battle.
"Please Brock, come back, come back my friend. We need you here," Ngannou said. "We need you to put the fun in this division. I need you to give me that f------ fight I've been waiting for for a long time, I've been dreaming for."
Again, if he wants another shot at the UFC heavyweight title down the road, then Ngannou will have to start picking up some wins over established names. It's clear that he does have some good options on the table -- with his personal option maybe being the best one in terms of establishing himself once again as a legitimate threat in the division.
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