Ultimate Fighting Championship
Francis Ngannou gunning for former heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez
Ultimate Fighting Championship

Francis Ngannou gunning for former heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez

Published Jan. 30, 2017 2:33 p.m. ET

Francis Ngannou is gunning for the top of the heavyweight division and he doesn't want to waste any time to get there.

Following a devastating first round knockout over former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski on Saturday night, Ngannou mentioned Junior Dos Santos and Alistair Overeem as two possible opponents that interested him.

While those fights are still intriguing to Ngannou, the name that really sits atop his list of dream opponents is former two-time heavyweight king Cain Velasquez.

"I'm talking about Junior Dos Santos and Alistair Overeem but I just talk about them because I think that Cain Velasquez is injured. If he's on the game, I'm ready for him," Ngannou said at the post fight press conference.

"He's the next one I would like to fight."

It's a lofty ambition from Ngannou, who took out the No. 7 ranked heavyweight with his win over Arlovski and now he's taking aim at the former champion, who just recently had neck surgery.

Velasquez was originally scheduled to fight at UFC 207 in December, but after revealing a neck injury that was going to require surgery after the event was over, the Nevada State Athletic Commission pulled him from the event for precautionary reasons.

Velasquez had the surgery in early January but there's no exact timetable on when he might book his next fight.

If the former champion will be ready to go sooner rather than later, Ngannou would love to be the fighter to welcome him back to the Octagon as he continues his climb towards title contention.

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