UFC president Dana White has told Francis Ngannou he's free to leave the promotion if he doesn't 'want to be with us'.
The UFC and its heavyweight champion have been at loggerheads for several months over a myriad of issues, including Ngannou's fight frequency.
Ngannou, 34, has publicly come out and expressed his frustration with the UFC brass, who are happy to let him leave once his contract expires.
White recently told ESPN: “Look, if you want to be with us, we’d love to have you.
"If you don’t want to be with us, no problem. It’s all good.
“I think his contract, and this is off the top of my head, if he wins he still has time with us after this fight.
"He’d probably have one more fight.”
White was recently involved in a war of words with Ngannou's manager Marquel Martin, who accused the veteran promoter of lying about the plans for the introduction of an interim title.
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And he believes the UFC's first African-born heavyweight champ isn't getting the best advice from his management team.
He said: “These things happen. Sometimes you don’t always come to terms with people.
“When you’re a fighter, you have to be careful who represents you.
"I don’t think he’s had the best representation.”
Ngannou will kick off the UFC's pay-per-view calendar next year in a heavyweight title unification bout against former team-mate Ciryl Gane.
The pair's clash will headline UFC 270 in Anaheim, California on January 22.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Ngannou said of his maiden title defence: “I don’t recognize [Gane’s] belt.
“I’m the undisputed heavyweight champion. [Gane’s belt] isn’t legitimate, it is a replacement.
"The presence of the champion makes the interim title invalid. And I’m here.”
Ngannou claimed the heavyweight throne in March with a devastating KO of fellow fan favourite Stipe Miocic at UFC 260.
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