Ahead of his fight with Robelis Despaigne this Saturday on a Most Valuable Promotions card, Junior dos Santos said a second meeting with Francis Ngannou is very much on his mind. The former UFC heavyweight champion said the possibility of running it back with Ngannou has him motivated, provided he takes care of business this weekend.
Dos Santos told Ariel Helwani that the chance to revisit that matchup immediately grabbed his attention. He said he is fully locked in on scoring a big win on Saturday, but added that, depending on how MVP views the situation, now would be an ideal time to book the rematch.
Dos Santos and Ngannou previously met in June 2019, when Ngannou stopped him in the opening round during the Cameroonian’s rise to the top of the heavyweight division. At this stage, a second fight would carry a very different storyline: for dos Santos, it would be a chance to rewrite the ending of a brutal first encounter; for Ngannou, it would be another opportunity to reinforce his standing as one of the most feared punchers in combat sports.
The matchup with Despaigne comes first, and it is a meaningful test on its own. Despaigne’s size, explosiveness, and striking background make him a dangerous opponent, while dos Santos is trying to show he still has enough timing, durability, and power to remain relevant in the heavyweight conversation. If dos Santos wins impressively, talk of a Ngannou rematch will only get louder.
For now, all eyes stay on Saturday night — and on whether dos Santos can earn the result that pushes him one step closer to seeing Ngannou across from him again.