Francis Ngannou make surprise appearance at UFC Atlanta ceremonial weigh-ins

We may never see Francis Ngannou in the Octagon again, but the heavyweight star returned to the UFC stage in the lead-up to promotion’s Saturday night card in Atlanta, Georgia.

Ngannou is the former UFC heavyweight champion. He never actually lost his belt, but instead vacated the title when he parted ways with the promotion in 2023. That means he’s still the lineal MMA heavyweight champion.

Ngannou (18-3) had several reasons for leaving the UFC. The main factor was that he didn’t feel he was being compensated fairly. He also wanted to try his hand at pro boxing, which the promotion would not let him do.

Leaving the UFC to pursue better options was a massive gamble for the Cameroonian. However, it definitely paid off. He ultimately signed a deal with the PFL (Professional Fighters League), and more notably partook in a pair of blockbuster boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He lost both boxing matches, but made tens of millions of dollars in the process—far more than he’s made in his entire 21-fight MMA career.

While the move ultimately paid off for Ngannou, it made him one of the UFC’s biggest enemies. That made it very unlikely he’d ever return to the Octagon.

That isn’t stopping him from supporting Kamaru Usman in Atlanta.

Francis Ngannou returns to UFC stage to support Usman

Usman, the former UFC welterweight champion, is set to return to the Octagon in the main event of Saturday’s card in Atlanta. He’ll be taking on surging contender Joaquin Buckley. It will be his first fight since a decision loss to Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight in October, 2023. It will be his first fight at welterweight since a decision loss to Leon Edwards in March, 2023.

On Friday afternoon, Usman stepped onto the stage for the card’s ceremonial weigh-ins. And he brought Ngannou with him.

See the pair together below, as captured by MMA reporter Oscar Willis.

Big Francis pic.twitter.com/0cY1EetwVA

— Oscar Willis (@oscarswillis) June 13, 2025

Ngannou and Usman have been friends for years. Ngannou was infamously $200,000 in debt to the former welterweight champ by the time he left the UFC to pursue bigger paydays in the boxing ring.

While Ngannou may never compete in the Octagon again, anything his possible. His coach Eric Nicksick recently suggested it could happen. Then again, Nicksick later walked back those comments.

We also know UFC CEO Dana White isn’t especially interested in bringing Ngannou back.

“Probably not,” White said at the UFC 316 post-fight press conference, when asked about Ngannou returning. “No.”

Either way, it’s interesting to see Ngannou in town for a UFC event. Perhaps he’ll even cross paths with White.