5 fights that could be next for Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou defended his UFC heavyweight championship against Ciryl Gane on Saturday. The win was the last fight on the champion's current contract and so his next fight is very difficult to predict.

Ngannou has been at loggerheads with the UFC regarding his new contract regarding his pay. He wants the new contract to allow him to box as well. However, no headway has been made between Ngannou's team and the UFC over a new deal.

The most likely scenario seems to be that cooler heads prevail and the UFC forks out the necessary money to keep 'The Predator' with the promotion. If that is the case, there are plenty of heavyweights who will be looking to challenge him for his belt.

However, the two parties are clearly not on the same page at the moment, as Dana White's post-main event antics showed. If the UFC is not able to re-sign their champion, perhaps he leaves and fights elsewhere?

With plenty still up in the air, here are five fights that could be next for Francis Ngannou:

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#5. Francis Ngannou vs. Tai Tuivasa

Tuivasa is ranked no. 11 with a record of 13-3

Should Francis Ngannou re-sign with the UFC, there will be plenty of fresh matchups for the champion. While Tai Tuivasa may currently seems like a long shot given that he sits at No.11 in the rankings, he is scheduled to face No.3-ranked Derrick Lewis on February 12th. Should he win that one, a fight against Ngannou could be next.

While Tuivasa was on a three-fight losing skid not so long ago, he appears to have reinvented himself in recent times. He has now won four straight and the fight with Lewis could very well serve as a number one contender bout for the right to face the champion next.

There are obviously a number of things that could stand in the Australian's way. Firstly, getting past Derrick Lewis is much easier said than done. If he does manage that there are still unknowns regarding Francis Ngannou's future as well as the potential returns of Stipe Miocic and Jon Jones that could spoil the party.

#4. Francis Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis II

Lewis is ranked No.3 with a record of 26-8 (1NC)

Francis Ngannou's win on Saturday massively played into the hands of one Derrick Lewis. The 'Black Beast' holds a win over the current champion, is ranked No.3 and should he beat Tai Tuivasa on February 12, would be on a two-fight win streak.

Lewis is now a UFC veteran and has consistently proved he is capable of knocking out world-class opponents at a moment's notice. His previous win over Ngannou would add some intrigue to the bout, as it would be interesting to see how both men have developed since their first fight.

With that being said, the champion's most recent performance made it obvious that the weaknesses that saw him lose to Derrick Lewis have now been amended. 'The Predator' would likely be a heavy favorite heading into this matchup, which may make it a less appealing option than some of the other names in the mix.

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#3. Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones

Jones holds a record of 26-1 (1NC)

This fight is likely the most intriguing of the bunch and in an ideal world, it would be the fight we get next. The only reason it ranks so lowly is that there a lot of obstacles that need to be overcome in order for it to happen. While this would be a dream scenario, it currently seems like a bit of a long shot.

If we put Ngannou's issues with the UFC to one side, Jon Jones also has his own issues with Dana White and his team that need to be resolved. Jones has been vocal about wanting higher pay. He has also been plagued over the years with issues outside of the octagon.

A scenario where everything gets sorted by the the next title defense seems like wishful-thinking. However, if they could get the bout done it would produce one of the biggest fights the heavyweight division has ever seen. It would be sure to do massive numbers for the UFC since it would put up the former lightweight champion against the current heavyweight champion.

#2. Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury

Fury is the WBC heavyweight champion with a record of 31-0-1

It is time to explore the possibility of Francis Ngannou's next fight not taking place in the octagon. He and heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury have gone back and forth on social media recently teasing this possible fight. Given that both men are keen to scrap, this bout doesn't seem outside the realms of possibility.

'The Predator' has repeatedly expressed his desire to compete in boxing at some point in his career. With his UFC deal up, now might be the perfect opportunity. He could choose to pursue boxing full-time, or re-structure his UFC deal to allow him to compete in a one-time bout like this.

While Fury would likely be the heavy favorite, Ngannou would be silly to turn down this big payday should he get the opportunity. He's also proved he has the power to knockout anyone so you can't rule out an upset. With Dana White not seeming like the champion's biggest fan, perhaps this boxing fight could be next.

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#1. Francis Ngannou vs. Stipe Miocic III

Miocic is ranked No.2 with a record of 20-4

Stipe Miocic has not returned to action since losing his belt to 'The Predator' back in March last year. While he was finished in the second round, the series between the two fighters now stands at 1-1. Given Miocic is regarded by some as the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time, a trilogy fight does make sense.

Miocic has stated that he is only interested in fighting for gold at this stage of his career. With that in mind, this is the only fight that would draw the veteran back into action. On top of that, his inactivity means he can wait for Ngannou's contract dispute to be settled before jumping back into the action.

'The Predator' would likely be the favorite heading into a third bout, particularly given the way their most recent fight went. Despite that, this is an important fight in the context of the heavyweight division and may very well be the next one up for the champion.