TMZ Sports talked to 36-year-old Ngannou -- a combat sports free agent after parting ways with the UFC in January -- and now the question is who does Francis fight, in what discipline, and where does it go down.

It's looking more and more like the answer to those questions are 37-year-old Wilder, boxing, and in Africa.

"We are looking into [Deontay Wilder] because he's available. He's ready for that. He's very excited about [a fight with me]. He wants it. So, we are looking into that. That's something I'm very excited about. We even discussed a potential one fight in Africa and one fight somewhere else. Why not even the two fights in Africa?", Francis told us.

Of course, Ngannou and Wilder are arguably the hardest/biggest punchers in all of combat sports.

12 of Francis' 17 wins came by knockout ... and his KO of Alistair Overeem may be the most brutal punch in recent UFC memory.

As for the Bronze Bomber, all but one of his 43 victories came by knockout.

Both guys clearly have the power to end the fight with a single shot ... but Francis tells us it's about more than simply throwing big power punches, and hoping one connects.

"I can knock everybody out. I have to be clear about something. To hit that person you have to get a clear shot which is more about technique and experience I don't have. So, I'm very aware of that aspect," Ngannou says.

"It's not like 'hit me, I hit you, and then we see who goes down.' It's a combat sport. Everybody trying not to get hit. I'm thinking more about the technique or the boxing side of it. The beauty of it. Then at the end, if you get an opportunity to connect then good. If not, I'm still expecting to win that fight in the decision so that's how I'm preparing myself."

There's much more ... we also talked to Francis about Jon Jones calling him a "big ole p***y," the possibility of signing to Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions, and Dana White telling us he believes Ngannou would've been easily handled just like Ciryl Gane was at UFC 285.