Ngannou: New UFC deal must include Fury fight

Francis Ngannou is giving the UFC an ultimatum.

The UFC heavyweight champion said Monday he'll only re-sign with the organization if it agrees to help promote a crossover fight between him and boxing heavyweight champ Tyson Fury.

"The Tyson Fury fight has to be part of the discussion," Ngannou said on "The MMA Hour."

"That's not an option. It has to be part of the discussion because if that's not part of the discussion now, it will never be.

"If I sign another contract now, and (it's) basically the same model of a contract, I'm screwed. That's not happening, ever. We have to figure out a way to implement this into a contract."

Ngannou was ringside for Fury's knockout win over Dillian Whyte this past weekend at Wembley Stadium. After the fight, Fury brought Ngannou into the ring to tease a hybrid bout between the two champions, who both appeared adamant it would happen in 2023.

Ngannou is in the midst of a contract dispute with the UFC. He retained the heavyweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January, which was the last bout on Ngannou's current UFC deal. But keeping the belt activated the champion's clause, which keeps him under contract for an additional year or three fights. Ngannou could become a free agent at the end of 2022.

The 35-year-old has said he will need a better contract to stay with the UFC, both from a financial standpoint and in terms of how the promotion treats him.

With his deal expiring in a matter of months, Ngannou - who's sidelined until late this year after undergoing knee surgery in March - could theoretically leave the UFC and pursue the Fury fight on his own. But "The Predator" said he wants the promotion involved for a few reasons.

For starters, Ngannou said he still wants to compete in the UFC after facing Fury. If he left the promotion for boxing, there likely wouldn't be a return on the table for him.

"There's still a lot of fights out there," Ngannou said. "There's still Jon Jones, there's ... the trilogy with Stipe (Miocic). There's still big fights I can do in the UFC, and I would really like that to happen."

Ngannou also recognizes that the UFC is a powerhouse in the combat sports world and would be a huge help in promoting a potential bout with Fury.

"It doesn't matter how big it could be - the UFC can make it bigger," Ngannou said.