Tag: Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou’s Fight for Freedom: Why the UFC’s Biggest Star Walked Away

Francis Ngannou’s Fight for Freedom: Why the UFC’s Biggest Star Walked AwayFrancis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, made headlines with his departure from the UFC in January 2023, citing…

Francis Ngannou’s Fight for Freedom: Why the UFC’s Biggest Star Walked Away

Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, made headlines with his departure from the UFC in January 2023, citing a desire for freedom and principles over financial gain. Ngannou’s decision to leave the organization came after a year-long negotiation process that failed to address his requests.

Francis Ngannou Leaving the UFC

Cameroon’s Francis Ngannou was trying to use his influence as UFC heavyweight champion to negotiate for health insurance and the ability to pursue sponsorship deals for all fighters. Speaking about his departure, Ngannou remarked, “It doesn’t matter how much [money] is in that contract, I am not free. I have no power”

Francis Ngannou has publicly stated that he lost over $1 million due to the UFC’s sponsorship restrictions. Specifically, the UFC’s exclusive deal with Crypto.com prevented Ngannou from securing a lucrative sponsorship offer from a competing cryptocurrency platform, reportedly Coinbase. Ngannou expressed frustration over the UFC’s policies, which barred fighters from pursuing their own sponsorship deals for in-octagon appearances. He criticized the organization for exploiting sponsorship opportunities for its own benefit while limiting fighters’ ability to earn independently.

After leaving the UFC, Ngannou signed with the PFL in May 2023. The deal includes not only competition but also roles as chairman of PFL Africa and a member of its global advisory board. He gets paid tens of millions per fight and also guarantees at least a two-million payday for his opponent. With the PFL, Francis Ngannou is also free to box and he has competed in two blockbuster boxing matches against heavyweight royalty.

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Photo by Tim Wheaton

“I was always fighting for the freedom and the opportunity to not have something in my way… It’s my right. And I claim that.” Ngannou explained on self-determination.

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From working in a sand quarry as a child in Cameroon to being homeless on the streets of Paris, he rose to become one of the most feared fighters in mixed martial arts. Reflecting on his struggles, he said, “I was doing a lot of push-ups and a lot of abs. And running from the cops. That was keeping you fit. Running from the cops can keep you fit more than ever”

Now, with the PFL, Francis Ngannou defeated the towering Brazilian Renan Ferreira by way of knockout to earn the heavyweight title. By walking away from the UFC at the height of his career, stood up for his principles and also set a precedent for fighter autonomy in combat sports.

Idris Elba or Jonathan Majors? Francis Ngannou Teases Casting for His Biopic

Idris Elba or Jonathan Majors? Francis Ngannou Teases Casting for His BiopicThe former UFC heavyweight champion and rising star in Hollywood, Francis Ngannou, recently shared insights about a potential movie…

Idris Elba or Jonathan Majors? Francis Ngannou Teases Casting for His Biopic

The former UFC heavyweight champion and rising star in Hollywood, Francis Ngannou, recently shared insights about a potential movie project based on his life. From walking across Africa to revitalizing the PFL and competing in blockbuster boxing matches; his life is a fantastic story.

Francis Ngannou Movie?

In an interview, Francis Ngannou revealed that he has received a promising offer from a production company to bring his story to the big screen. However, he believes the timing isn’t right yet. “I think the story is not done yet. I think we are maybe in the last chapter, but it’s not done,” Ngannou remarked, emphasizing his desire to wait until his journey is complete before moving forward with the film. Perhaps a future PFL MMA fight or another match in boxing.

Idris Elba or Jonathan Majors

When asked about casting for the lead role, Ngannou mentioned Idris Elba as his long-time pick but noted that fellow fighter Israel Adesanya suggested Jonathan Majors, known for his role in Creed III, as another strong candidate. “I used to always say Idris Elba [would play me] but Adesanya said to me the guy in Creed, Jonathan Majors,” He said. However, Majors’ recent career has been overshadowed by legal troubles, including a conviction for assault in 2023. Meanwhile, Idris Elba competed in kickboxing in the past.

After his parents divorced when he was six, Francis Ngannou lived a transient life, often moving between relatives. At just 10 years old, he began working in a sand quarry to support himself, earning less than $2 per day. Despite these hardships, Ngannou resisted pressure to join gangs and instead drew inspiration from his father’s reputation as a street fighter to pursue a positive path.

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Photo by Tim Wheaton

Fascinated by boxing and inspired by legends like Mike Tyson, Francis Ngannou began training at 22 but had to pause due to illness and financial struggles. At 26, Ngannou left Cameroon for Paris to chase his dream of becoming a professional boxer. Homeless upon arrival, he eventually found support at a local gym where he was introduced to MMA. With the help of his coaches, Ngannou began his journey toward becoming one of the most formidable fighters in UFC history, competing in heavyweight boxing, and capturing the PFL MMA heavyweight title.

With this potential biopic in early talks, audiences eagerly await more updates on what promises to be an interesting cinematic project. Ngannou has risen to global prominence as a UFC champion, professional boxer, and now a budding Hollywood star with roles in the Fast and Furious franchise and Rebel Moon.

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2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, October 19, 2024. (Jose Peñuela / 2024PFLPPV)

Chael Sonnen Calls Francis Ngannou The Sole Obstacle To Jon Jones Superfight: “Dana’s Already Announced It’s Going To Happen…”

The former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight title challenger Chael Sonnen has defended UFC boss Dana White, claiming Francis Ngannou to be the roadblock in his highly-anticipated heavyweight clash with Jon Jones. Jones vs Ngannou has easily been one of the most talked-about MMA fights for a couple of years now. However, the deal never […]

The former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight title challenger Chael Sonnen has defended UFC boss Dana White, claiming Francis Ngannou to be the roadblock in his highly-anticipated heavyweight clash with Jon Jones.

Jones vs Ngannou has easily been one of the most talked-about MMA fights for a couple of years now. However, the deal never reached fruition and differences with White led to the-then UFC heavyweight champion leaving the promotion altogether.

Following his departure from the UFC, “The Predator” explored other opportunities such as boxing fight Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He also signed with the PFL, becoming their heavyweight champion by defeating Renan Ferreira.

Despite no plans to ever return to the UFC, Ngannou believes a superfight with Jones is still not off the table. In a recent interview, he claimed that Turki Al-Sheikh, the current Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, could intervene and convince White to cross-promote with the PFL for this bout.

However, Ngannou’s narrative that White is blocking the fight with Jones didn’t sit well with MMA fighter turned analyst Sonnen.

Here’s what Sonnen said while putting the blame on the former UFC heavyweight champ for avoiding the Jones fight:

“Poor Francis was in a world title fight, in the fight capital of the world, in the world’s biggest promotion, where he is going to headline. He was not the champion of the world. He wanted to be. He was going to be given that opportunity. Do you understand? Okay. Because it was at that time that it had already been announced by Dana White, this giant obstacle, that when Jon Jones returns to heavyweight, it will be for the belt. So now we don’t, now we don’t only have an obstacle, it doesn’t even fully have to do with Francis. Francis didn’t even have the belt. He was scheduled to fight Stipe, a fight that Francis had already lost. Like, we didn’t know who the champion was going to be, but whoever it was going to be, we were going to stick to the deal and the plan that when Jon comes up, Jon will contest with that person. It’s important that you understand that, because that one detail, in and of itself, that timeline excludes the possibility that Francis was being picked on. It was an open statement that Jon will contend whenever Jon comes back, if he ever comes back, right into a world title fight. That happened to be Francis. And what happened next? Jon came back. So now we have Jon, and we have Francis, and we’re going to get to see Jon versus Francis. People are talking about it. You’re talking about it. Dana’s already announced it’s going to happen.”

Sonnen, being the company-man he is, believes that White cannot be blamed at all for Ngannou and Jones not being able to settle their rivalry inside the Octagon.

Although Jones first fought at heavyweight after over a year of Ngannou’s last UFC outing, “The American Gangster” believes if “The Predator” had not parted ways with the UFC, he would’ve fought “Bones” instead of Ciryl Gane in March 2023.

“But somebody blinked. That somebody, I would view to be the obstacle in this equation. Do you agree? Because that somebody was not Dana White. That somebody was not Jon Jones. As a matter of fact, Dana White went through with the plan exactly as he had previously stated, which is that Jon went right into a title fight. And it’s important that you understand this, because Francis left. So to make believe now that you wanted to do something, when you were in a position to do it, and so now the only thing stopping this fight is Dana White.”

Ngannou is promising his fans worldwide a big comeback to combat sports. In boxing, he definitely can be a part of big fights like the Fury rematch or a possible showdown against the hard-hitting Deontay Wilder. In MMA, he’ll have the option to defend his title against the top heavyweight contenders in the promotion.

Fight or Flight: Daniel Cormier Questions Francis Ngannou’s Risky Return to the Sweet Science

Fight or Flight: Daniel Cormier Questions Francis Ngannou’s Risky Return to the Sweet ScienceDaniel Cormier doesn’t like the idea of Francis Ngannou going back to boxing. Ngannou is officially 0-2 in the…

Fight or Flight: Daniel Cormier Questions Francis Ngannou’s Risky Return to the Sweet Science

Daniel Cormier doesn’t like the idea of Francis Ngannou going back to boxing.

Ngannou is officially 0-2 in the sport, but that hasn’t stopped him from emerging as one of boxing’s most polarizing figures in recent years. After taking heavyweight great Tyson Fury to the limit in October 2023, ‘The Predator’ suffered a brutal second-round knockout loss against Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia.

Now, after a successful return to MMA under the PFL banner, Ngannou is ready to get back inside the squared circle for another go in the sweet science. No official details have been announced, but a fight with former WBC heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder has been floated as a potential opponent for Ngannou’s third go in 10-ounce gloves.

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Addressing Ngannou’s rumored return to boxing, Cormier expressed concern over how things could go for ‘The Predator’ this time around after seeing how things went awry against Joshua in Saudi Arabia.

“There were people picking Francis to beat Joshua,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “I love Francis but not to insult him, Anthony Joshua felt so less of a threat [from Ngannou] that he, who is traditionally one of the most passive boxers in the world for a heavyweight champion, went after Francis. He didn’t feel the threat because of the lack of experience that Francis had in boxing.

“Sure, he’s going to make a boatload of money, he always does, but at what point do you go [I don’t know] because if you ask me it would seem like he’s up against it again. Maybe he’s just the biggest, baddest man on the planet that we all believe and he doesn’t care that he’s up against it and he wants to prove everyone wrong like he did the first time when he fought Tyson Fury and he fought him to a very close fight. But we cannot ignore the visuals of what we saw the last time, especially when he came back to MMA and fought so well.”

Daniel Cormier fears for what could happen to ngannou against another KO artist like deontay wilder

The quick-fire knockout loss against Joshua is what ultimately sent Ngannou back to mixed martial arts where he secured an impressive first-round TKO over Renan Ferreira at the PFL’s Battle of the Giants pay-per-view event last year.

Cormier believes that accepting a fight with Wilder would not only put Ngannou in another dangerous spot but it could also halt any momentum he rebuilt in his Smart Cage debut.

“People don’t hurt Francis Ngannou, but when it happened in the [Anthony Joshua] fight, he looked lost,” Cormier said. “That’s what’s concerning to me. Because I know there will be moments in that fight with Deontay Wilder the way that he punches where he’s going to need to find safety.”

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No legitimate boxing fans would be caught dead calling Deontay Wilder a technical fighter, but the fact remains that ‘The Bronze Bomber’ has knocked out opponents in 42 of his 43 career wins notching an undeniably impressive 96.7% finish rate.

Any man with that kind of resume is undeniably dangerous.

“I thought the most dangerous fight for Francis was Deontay Wilder because Deontay Wilder, who I was on the Olympic team with, is more free and also less technical,” Cormier said. “That’s the nice way to say Deontay Wilder’s boxing style. He’s less technical.

“So the punches may be loopy. He may throw them from odd angles. But he has this unbelievable power that allows you to go to sleep.”

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Do you agree with Daniel Cormier’s take on Ngannou’s anticipated boxing comeback, or are you excited to see ‘The Predator’ back inside the squared circle?

Stipe Miocic Boldy Names Francis Ngannou “Baddest Man on the Planet” Snubbing Jon Jones

Stipe Miocic Names Francis Ngannou "Baddest Man on the Planet" Over Jon JonesStipe Miocic recently weighed in on the debate about who holds the title of “Baddest Man on the Planet”…

Stipe Miocic Names Francis Ngannou "Baddest Man on the Planet" Over Jon Jones

Stipe Miocic recently weighed in on the debate about who holds the title of “Baddest Man on the Planet” between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. Miocic is a former UFC heavyweight champion who acknowledged the unique strengths of both fighters but ultimately named Ngannou as the current “Baddest Man on the Planet.”

Stipe Miocic Names Francis Ngannou Over Jon Jones

Stipe Miocic’s comments come amidst ongoing fan debates about the legacies of Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. Jones, who recently defended his UFC heavyweight title with dominant performances, has been celebrated for his longevity in MMA. Meanwhile, Francis Ngannou, who now competing in the PFL after vacating the UFC heavyweight title, remains a feared figure due to his knockout power and high-profile boxing matches.

Miocic praised Francis Ngannou for his devastating power and continuous improvement, describing him as a fighter who always comes prepared with a game plan. However, he also highlighted Jon Jones’ exceptional skills, calling him “one of the best of all time, if not the best,” and noting Jones’ intelligence. Miocic speculated that a fight between the two would be a tough matchup, with Jon Jones needing to maintain distance and utilize his grappling to succeed. On the other hand, he noted that if Ngannou landed cleanly, it could be decisive.

Francis Ngannou PFL
Photo by Tim Wheaton

Speaking to The Schmo, Stipe Miocic explained:

“Francis has great power and is getting better every fight but Jones is one of the best of all time, if not the best, he’s smart real tricky. With Francis, he always comes with a gameplan but he has thunder in his fists. It’s a tough fight, if Jon keeps the distance I think he will do well to get him down the ground but if Francis connects…all over.“

Ultimately, who is the baddest man on the planet? He answered:

“Francis Ngannou.”

Jon Jones’ legendary run in the UFC Light Heavyweight division began in 2011 when he became the youngest champion in UFC history at age 23 by defeating the legendary Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua. Over his two title reigns, Jones amassed a record-breaking number of title defenses, wins, and longest win streak in the division, solidifying himself as one of MMA’s all-time greats. Despite controversies and suspensions, he returned to reclaim his dominance multiple times. In 2023 after a three-year hiatus, Jones transitioned to heavyweight and captured the UFC Heavyweight Championship.

Francis Ngannou rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most feared heavyweights in MMA. After joining the UFC in 2015, Ngannou quickly climbed the ranks with devastating knockouts before claiming the UFC Heavyweight Championship in 2021 by defeating Stipe Miocic via second-round KO. He successfully defended his title against Ciryl Gane before departing the UFC for the PFL in 2023. Ngannou also ventured into boxing, facing Tyson Fury in a highly anticipated bout where he lost via controversial split decision but impressed fans by knocking Fury down.

As Stipe Miocic’s recent comments highlight, both fighters bring unique strengths to the table, leaving fans divided on who truly reigns supreme in the heavyweight landscape. The debate over who holds the title of “Baddest Man on the Planet” continues to split the MMA world.

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira
Photo by Tim Wheaton

BKFC President On Potential Ben Rothwell vs. Francis Ngannou Fight: ‘[PFL] Don’t Want To Partner With Us’

BKFC founder David Feldman isn’t holding much hope of the PFL allowing heavyweight star Francis Ngannou to answer Ben Rothwell’s recent callout. Rothwell has enjoyed a fruitful stint in bare-knuckle boxing since his lengthy tenure in the UFC reached its conclusion after 17 fights back in 2021. “Big Ben” has amassed a 4-0 record under […]

BKFC founder David Feldman isn’t holding much hope of the PFL allowing heavyweight star Francis Ngannou to answer Ben Rothwell’s recent callout.

Rothwell has enjoyed a fruitful stint in bare-knuckle boxing since his lengthy tenure in the UFC reached its conclusion after 17 fights back in 2021. “Big Ben” has amassed a 4-0 record under the BKFC banner with nothing but knockouts.

His latest victory was at last month’s KnuckleMania V event in Philadelphia, where the veteran heavyweight delivered an early Knockout of the Year candidate. A violent 36-second finish of Mick Terrill secured Rothwell the BKFC heavyweight title, and all eyes will certainly now be on the 43-year-old’s next outing.

The American set his sights high during his post-fight press conference, dropping the name of former UFC champion and current PFL Super Fights titleholder Francis Ngannou as a desired opponent.

During a recent interview with MMA Knockout, the BKFC president addressed that suggestion, explaining why he doesn’t see it as a possibility despite his promotion’s willingness to do business with rival organizations like the PFL.

“That would be a fantastic payday for Ben Rothwell, and I wouldn’t be opposed to something like that happening,” Feldman said. “But I just don’t think the PFL are gonna do it.

“UFC doesn’t need us, and all the rest of the promotions really don’t want to help us out because it’s just gonna help us get bigger and bigger. So, they don’t wanna do that,” Feldman continued. “They don’t wanna partner with us because they feel it’s gonna help us and not help them as much as it could because Francis Ngannou is a big name.”

Ngannou has competed just once in the PFL since signing in May 2023, knocking out Renan Ferreira in quick time last October.

Having previously fought Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in boxing, “The Predator” is expected to return to the ring for his next combat sports outing.