Tag: Francis Ngannou

Patricio Pitbull Calls Out Francis Ngannou Over PFL Deal Dilemmas: ‘Will You Ever Speak Up for Us?’

Patricio Pitbull Calls Out Francis Ngannou Over PFL Deal Dilemmas: 'Will You Ever Speak Up for Us?'Free at last, free at least. Patricio Pitbull is free at last. And he’s got a few parting words…

Patricio Pitbull Calls Out Francis Ngannou Over PFL Deal Dilemmas: 'Will You Ever Speak Up for Us?'

Free at last, free at least. Patricio Pitbull is free at last. And he’s got a few parting words for the PFL and its top star, Francis Ngannou.

A day after Ariel Helwani broke the news that the Bellator brand would no longer be used by the Professional Fighters League, the promotion announced that it had officially released the most decorated fighter in the now-defunct organization’s history.

After news of Pitbull’s departure from the PFL started making the rounds, the former two-division champion absolutely shredded PFL co-founder Donn Davis and the sketchy business practices of a company that claims to always put fighters first.

“[PFL] is cutting a bunch of fighters and forcing others to take pay cuts of up to 70%,” Pitbull posted on X. “No respect for fighter contracts and what they’ve accomplished… The self-called fighters first organization is also changing its contracts so it’s almost impossible for fighters to be free agents and to leave on free agency.

“Also tying down fighters payments for many years and taking away all their leverage… The self-called co-leader in MMA is ghosting some fighters/ managers and leaving them with no answers while the owner makes silly and disrespectful posts on social media.”

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Patricio Pitbull calls for Ngannou’s help in building a fighter’s union

Pitbull also took aim at Ngannou, who signed a ground-breaking deal with the PFL in mid-2023 making him one of the highest paid fighters in all of mixed martial arts. ‘The Predator’ was also added to the promotion’s global advisory board to advocate for the best interest of every fighter on the roster.

“Hey @francis_ngannou are you aware of all the absurd things PFL is doing to fighters and putting on the new contracts?” Pitbull wrote. “Will you ever speak up for us? I’m thinking it’s time we start a PFL Fighters Union. What do you think?”

While Pitbull has been granted his outright release from the PFL, Pitbull later noted that the promotion still retains matching rights, meaning that the PFL could match any offer he receives from a rival promotion, thus re-signing him.

Patricio Pitbull Freire holds two Bellator titles

Bellator Champ Calls For Francis Ngannou’s Intervention As Gripes With PFL Continue: ‘Will You Ever Speak Up For Us?’

The mounting discontent among Bellator fighters signed under the PFL banner has reached a fever pitch, prompting a reigning champion to call on Francis Ngannou to step in. The PFL finalized its takeover of Bellator MMA in November 2023, allowing it to operate as a distinct entity and enabling its roster of fighters to transition […]

The mounting discontent among Bellator fighters signed under the PFL banner has reached a fever pitch, prompting a reigning champion to call on Francis Ngannou to step in.

The PFL finalized its takeover of Bellator MMA in November 2023, allowing it to operate as a distinct entity and enabling its roster of fighters to transition seamlessly under the PFL spotlight.

After a difficult first year post-acquisition, it was reported by Ariel Helwani this week that the Bellator name has officially been consigned to history. It will now be rebranded as the PFL Champions Series, a platform dedicated exclusively to title bouts for the PFL’s newly established divisional championships.

Amid recent developments, a cloud of uncertainty has settled over several Bellator champions, including Patricio Pitbull and Corey Anderson. Both have been vocal critics of the PFL for some time, accusing the budding MMA promotion of failing to uphold the terms of their original contracts while taking pointed jabs at its management.

Pitbull has persistently called out top-tier PFL executives, including Donn Davis and Peter Murray, on social media, demanding his release from the promotion. He points to the alleged lack of clarity regarding his fighting future and the scarce opportunities offered to him since the merger.

The reigning Bellator featherweight champion recently took to X, once again venting his frustration with the organization amid the ongoing turmoil. In a series of fiery posts, Pitbull accused the PFL of ruthlessly cutting fighters from its roster and “forcing” others into accepting massive pay cuts.

He further claimed that the organization is manipulating contracts, making it nearly impossible for fighters to become free agents and pursue opportunities elsewhere.

“Self called co-leader in MMA and fighters first organization is cutting a bunch of fighters and forcing others to take pay cuts of up to 70%. No respect for fighter contracts and what they’ve accomplished,” Pitbull wrote on X.

The 37-year-old Brazilian went a step further, calling on the PFL’s biggest star and reigning Super Fights Heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou to use his influence to address the ongoing issues and stand in solidarity with those caught in the crossfire.

“Hey Francis Ngannou are you aware of all the absurd things PFL is doing to fighters and putting on the new contracts? Will you ever speak up for us? I’m thinking it’s time we start a PFL Fighters Union. What do you think?”

Pitbull has been absent from the cage since March 2024, when he defended his featherweight title with a stunning third-round knockout of Jeremy Kennedy at the Bellator Champions Series in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

VIDEO: Francis Ngannou & Dakota Ditcheva Feature As PFL Counts Down Top 15 Finishes Of 2024

While the year was far from smooth for the Professional Fighters League (PFL), its events still had plenty of memorable moments. 2024 marked the first year of PFL action post-acquisition of the Bellator MMA brand. Unfortunately, canceled events and disgruntled fighters have largely dominated headlines for the promotion, with champions Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix […]

While the year was far from smooth for the Professional Fighters League (PFL), its events still had plenty of memorable moments.

2024 marked the first year of PFL action post-acquisition of the Bellator MMA brand. Unfortunately, canceled events and disgruntled fighters have largely dominated headlines for the promotion, with champions Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix most notably requesting their releases following public complaints over their treatment.

But as the organization battles issues away from the cage, the action inside it has still often delivered, with 2024 seeing some of the promotion’s most brutal finishes to date.

And the PFL recently counted down the top 15 in a YouTube video, featuring Francis Ngannou’s rapid knockout of Renan Ferreira in his MMA return and Dakota Ditcheva’s punishing attack on Taila Santos’ body in their flyweight title clash.

Those two weren’t able to secure top spot, however, with that instead going to middleweight contender Costello van Steenis. “The Spaniard” moved to 2-0 this year by viciously sleeping João Vitor Dantas in just 48 seconds at last month’s championship event in Saudi Arabia.

2025 will no doubt see plenty more memorable finishes added to the PFL’s highlight packages, with the first opportunity for additions coming on Jan. 25 in Dubai.

The opening event of the new year sees Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov and Irish up-and-comer Paul Hughes collide with gold on the line in the Road To Dubai: Champions Series main event. Meanwhile, the likes of Nathan Kelly and Ibragim Ibragimov make up the undercard contests.

Cristiano Ronaldo Signs Jerseys for Francis Ngannou Ahead of Usyk vs. Fury 2

Cristiano Ronaldo Signs Jerseys for Francis Ngannou Ahead of Usyk vs. FuryFormer UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou scored him some autographed swag after having dinner with football icon Cristiano Ronaldo….

Cristiano Ronaldo Signs Jerseys for Francis Ngannou Ahead of Usyk vs. Fury

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou scored him some autographed swag after having dinner with football icon Cristiano Ronaldo.

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to take in Saturday’s highly anticipated rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury at Kingdom Arena, Ngannou revealed in a social media post that he not only had dinner with Ronaldo but also walked away with a handful of autographed jerseys courtesy of ‘CR7.’

Earlier this year, Ronaldo sat cageside at the PFL Battle of the Giants pay-per-view to witness Ngannou’s long-awaited return to mixed martial arts against heavyweight knockout artist Renan Ferreira.

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Ronaldo Offered Francis Ngannou a few words of encouragement ahead of PFL debut

According to Ngannou’s coach Eric Nicksick, ‘El Bicho’ was sitting backstage at one point and insisted on giving ‘The Predator’ a few words of encouragement just before he made his way to the Smart Cage.

“He was so cool and super down to earth,” Nicksick told MMA Junkie. “He was a super cool guy and actually a huge fighting fan, so he had a bunch of questions, he was talking to me about [Sean] Strickland, this and that, whatever fight it was. He was really down to earth and then at one point Francis got up to wrap his hands, and Ronaldo was kind of talking about how he could feel Francis’ energy, and he goes, ‘I’m just going to give him words of encouragement…’

“He was talking about the loss of one of his children and kind of how he related to that and things like that. It was kind of cool. I know how big of a star he is, but sitting next to me and having this very personal conversation made him feel like he was part of the team right then and there. His son was in there with us and hanging out so it was a very much welcomed energy to have in the room. Especially someone of that stature who understands the highest of pressure, so it was cool and he was a great guy” (h/t Bloody Elbow).

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Ngannou ended up scoring a dominant first-round TKO against Ferreria in his PFL debut — an especially impressive feat when you consider that he hadn’t competed inside a cage in nearly three years.

What’s next for Ngannou remains to be seen, but ‘The Predator’ has left the door open for a return to boxing despite going 0-2 with back-to-back losses against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

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“F*** it” Francis Ngannou Cuts Ties with Jon Jones Hype “That’s Not My Problem”

"F*** it" Francis Ngannou Cuts Ties with Jon Jones Hype "That's Not My Problem"Francis Ngannou has had enough. The former UFC heavyweight champion, who left the promotion amid contract disputes in 2022,…

"F*** it" Francis Ngannou Cuts Ties with Jon Jones Hype "That's Not My Problem"

Francis Ngannou has had enough. The former UFC heavyweight champion, who left the promotion amid contract disputes in 2022, is putting an end to the persistent speculation surrounding a potential fight with Jon Jones, one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.

Francis Ngannou Talks Jon Jones

In a candid statement, Francis Ngannou dismissed any further discussions about the long-rumored bout, stating, “It’s been four years that I’ve been singing. I’m confused that people keep asking me this question, like, ‘Is it… it’s been four years. That’s not my problem. I don’t care about it anymore. If it happens, yes. If it doesn’t, f*** it.”

Ngannou’s frustration with the ongoing questions about a Jon Jones fight comes after years of fans and analysts dreaming of the matchup. Jones, who became the youngest UFC champion at 23 and has since cemented himself as one of the sport’s legends, recently moved up to heavyweight and won the title by defeating Ciryl Gane in March 2023. However, despite Jones’ undeniable skill and dominance in the octagon, his career has been marred by controversies outside of it, including failed drug tests and legal issues. Additionally, ‘Bones’ waited for Ngannou to leave the company before moving to heavyweight.

Since walking away from the UFC, Ngannou has ventured into boxing, where he faced Tyson Fury in a competitive bout, and Anthony Joshua in a blockbuster fight, plus signed with the PFL, where he recently claimed their inaugural Super Fights Heavyweight Championship.

Francis Ngannou PFL
Francis Ngannou

While the fight may still be one of MMA’s biggest “what if” scenarios, Francis Ngannou is moving forward. With new challenges in boxing and the PFL, the former UFC champion is focused on what lies ahead, leaving the Jon Jones hype in the past. Saudi Arabia, involved in boxing, the PFL, and the UFC, might be planning for this fight. The PFL is willing, but it is unlikely the UFC will budge on this.

Francis Ngannou ‘Doesn’t Care’ About Jon Jones Anymore, Knows What Fight He ‘For Sure’ Wants

Francis Ngannou is tired of being asked questions about a potential fight with the UFC’s heavyweight champion, Jon Jones. The two of them colliding in the UFC was a huge talking point towards the end of 2022 until the saga ended with Ngannou leaving the promotion and vacating the title which was later won by […]

Francis Ngannou is tired of being asked questions about a potential fight with the UFC’s heavyweight champion, Jon Jones. The two of them colliding in the UFC was a huge talking point towards the end of 2022 until the saga ended with Ngannou leaving the promotion and vacating the title which was later won by Jones.

With the two men now being at the top in different promotions, it seems unlikely that they will face off with another if the UFC and PFL don’t go into business with each other but Turki Alalshikh might be the only person that could make that happen. During an interview with Seconds Out during fight week for Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 in Riyadh, Ngannou was asked about whether a meeting with the consensus greatest of all time is still of interest to him.

From Ngannou’s point of view, he has always claimed that he is happy to compete against Jones, stating that he has never been the one that has stopped it from happening. The PFL star said that he is no longer giving this fight any of his energy because whether we ever see it or not isn’t a decision that rests on his shoulders.

“It’s been four years that I’ve been saying it, I’m confused that people keep asking me this question,” Ngannou told Seconds Out. “It’s been four years! That’s not my problem, I don’t care about it anymore. If it happens, yes, if it doesn’t, f— it.”

It’s not clear what Ngannou’s next fight will be right now although there may be some more clarity on that following his conversations with Alalshikh in Saudi Arabia this week. Ngannou has picked Usyk to beat “The Gypsy King” for a second time on Saturday night and this result could potentially lead to him getting a rematch with Fury following their closely contested fight in his boxing debut last year.

“What I do know for sure is that I want a rematch with Fury,” he said.

Ngannou isn’t interested in avenging his other boxing loss which came earlier this year against Anthony Joshua. Another name that has been spoken about is Deontay Wilder who would seemingly be a more enticing option for Ngannou than the MMA bouts that are out there for him right now.

“The rematch with Joshua, honestly I felt very off and not very comfortable in that fight,” Ngannou said. “It’s definitely something that could happen, but … I’m not a conspiracy theorist but I didn’t like the Joshua fight. I think things wasn’t right. Nothing was right. And if it’s going to be the same scenario, I’m not interested.”