Curtis Blaydes eyes boxing fight with Francis Ngannou

Curtis Blaydes is not looking for a route out of the UFC. He wants his MMA career to finish there. But once the last octagon walk is behind him, there is one idea he would be willing to carry into a boxing ring: Francis Ngannou.

Blaydes raised the possibility while discussing the final stage of his career. He said he respects fighters who stayed useful and competitive in the UFC for years, and wants the same path for himself. The twist comes after MMA is over. If Ngannou is still active, Blaydes can imagine one crossover fight under boxing rules.

There is history behind the name. Ngannou defeated Blaydes twice in the UFC, first when a doctor stopped their 2016 bout after damage to Blaydes’ eye, then again with a first-round knockout in their 2018 rematch. Blaydes did not sell the boxing idea as revenge or claim a fight is being discussed. He named Ngannou as the kind of opponent who could make a post-MMA appearance worth considering.

Blaydes wants to finish in UFC

The important part of the statement is that Blaydes did not follow Ngannou’s road out of the promotion. He did not ask to be released or announce a move into another sport. His plan for mixed martial arts remains attached to the octagon.

Blaydes pointed to Drew Dober and Neil Magny as examples of fighters who built long UFC careers without needing every chapter to revolve around a title. His message was simple:

“I want to end with the UFC.”

That position fits a heavyweight who has spent years near the difficult end of the division. Blaydes has fought contenders, absorbed hard setbacks and stayed in dangerous matchups. He is talking about completing that UFC run first, then deciding whether one different kind of fight still makes sense.

• Blaydes says he wants to complete his MMA career in the UFC.
• He mentioned Ngannou as a possible boxing opponent only after his MMA run ends.
• No boxing bout, contract or negotiation between them has been announced.
• Ngannou defeated Blaydes in both of their UFC meetings.

Ngannou is not a random name

Blaydes has already felt the danger that made Ngannou one of heavyweight MMA’s most feared punchers. Their first UFC meeting ended after two rounds when damage around Blaydes’ eye stopped him from continuing. The rematch was much shorter: Ngannou landed early and ended the main event in 45 seconds.

Boxing would remove the wrestling that has always been central to Blaydes’ game and place him in the sport Ngannou pursued after leaving the UFC. That is why the idea draws attention. It would be Blaydes meeting the man who beat him twice in MMA, this time inside a rule set built around punches alone.

A fight for later, not for now

This is not a live fight negotiation. Blaydes placed the boxing idea at the end of his UFC road, not in front of his next MMA booking. Ngannou would also have to remain active and interested when that time arrives.

The name still travels because it connects two different heavyweight paths. Ngannou left the UFC and moved into major boxing events. Blaydes stayed inside the promotion, continuing to take important heavyweight fights. A boxing meeting would bring those paths together without pretending the fight is close to being signed.

Blaydes did not promise a third fight or call Ngannou out for his next move. He described the sort of final opportunity that might tempt him once MMA is done. For now, his career remains in the UFC, while Francis Ngannou is the opponent he can imagine meeting after that chapter closes.