BREAKING: Francis Ngannou's coach hints at March return for 'The Predator'

Francis Ngannou's coach, Eric Nicksick, has tweeted out a possible return date for 'The Predator' amidst rumors of Ngannou facing Jon Jones next for the heavyweight title.

While there was widespread speculation about Jones making his UFC comeback against Ngannou next year, the cryptic tweet is the first potential confirmation of the matchup from an official source.

Eric Nicksick tweeted:

"Ya'll busy March 4th?? #justwondering"

Speculatively, the UFC intends to have Ngannou defend his heavyweight belt against 'Bones' at UFC 285 on March 5 in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, considering Ngannou's contract issues with the promotion and his right-knee injury troubles, Jones' desire to move up to heavyweight and challenge for the title, was left in limbo.

However, Nicksick may have revitalized fans' hopes of watching the Cameroonian champion defend his title against perhaps the most decorated former champion in the history of the sport. It is expected that in case Ngannou vs. Jones does not materialize, 'Bones' will face Curtis Blaydes instead.

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Francis Ngannou back to practicing leg kicks in the gym

Francis Ngannou recently hinted at some progress regarding his right leg injury, a result of an accident while training for Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 earlier this year.

In an Instagram post, 'The Predator' stated:

“Slowly getting back into kicking, It feels damn good. Thank you @eric_xcmma for having me. ”

Ngannou sustained an ACL and MCL tear just four weeks before his bout against Gane and underwent surgery in March.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ngannou recalled how the injury happened, explaining that he faced an unknown sparring partner and got hurt after trying to defend himself against an attempted takedown:

“We were sparring and I think he got overwhelmed, He shot a takedown, and when I tried to turn around, I heard the crack on my knee. Right at that moment when you hear that on your knee, you know that something is happening."

Watch Francis Ngannou's full episode on YouTube below: