Eric Nicksick hopes to reestablish Francis Ngannou's dominance in MMA
Eric Nicksick says he's "learned to just really trust the process" when it comes to Francis Ngannou deciding on what's best for his career.
For Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick, having Francis Ngannou back in the gym is such a good feeling on both a personal and professional level. "When he's not here, you kind of miss a part of you, not only me but my family, my kids. Everybody loves him," Nicksick told MMA Junkie Radio.
"So just having him back in the room is super important, I think, for all of us. ... He raises the standard in the room the moment he walks in the door.
" Warm and fuzzy feelings aside, Nicksick is hard at work preparing Ngannou for his first MMA fight in 19 months when he takes on Philipe Lins on the MVP card headlined by Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano that streams live on Netflix on May 16 from Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. According to Nicksick, Ngannou arrived at camp "beyond in shape" and "shredded," already weighing 265 pounds compared his usual 280.
Ngannou is expected to smash Lins, with oddsmakers listing the former UFC heavyweight champion a gigantic -1400 favorite to win. Not to look past Lins, but the question is what will come after May 16 for Ngannou? Considering he's shown to prefer boxing – he lost to both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in lucrative high-profile fights – instead of MMA ever since leaving the UFC in January 2023, it's up in the air.