Francis Ngannou, the UFC heavyweight champion (and probably the scariest man on Earth) has been released by the organization, according to a statement made on Saturday by UFC President Dana White (see below).
The announcement has been highly anticipated since Ngannou fought out his contract in January 2022. People didn’t know if they’d ever see the champ in the UFC octagon again, and sure enough, they won’t, at least for now.
It’s no secret that Ngannou and the UFC had their differences, and while Ngannou’s time with the UFC has officially ended, the story is just beginning. Already, news has circulated regarding the suffocating nature of Francis’s contract with the UFC.
It’s baffling.
For instance, one thing we all know Francis wanted to do was dabble in professional boxing. He mentioned it many times; he genuinely wanted to test his skills in the ring with the greats. Not to mention he’d make more money in one exhibition boxing match than he did in three years fighting for the UFC. That’s a fact.
But of course, there was a non-compete stipulation in Ngannou’s contract that prohibited him from testing those waters.
Not anymore.
Another frustration he had with the contract was his inactivity.
Despite being healthy and wanting to fight throughout 2020 and 2021, he only did so once a year. Ngannou thought his inability to agree to a new multi-fight contract with the UFC was the reason they were refusing to give him fights.
In October 2021, seven months after Francis claimed the UFC Heavyweight championship, conversations between him and the UFC began to pick up. With one fight left on his contract, the UFC was pushing hard to get Francis to re-sign before having him defend his belt in early 2022. It was then that he said the following regarding the conditions the UFC was trying to push on him.
“First of all, there is a champ clause and they’ve been trying to apply pressure with an extension, but I did not sign a new deal and I think that’s basically the issue. That’s what is causing all these issues because I don’t want to sign a new deal on certain terms. I don’t feel protected in those terms — in the past two years I fought twice and I have to borrow money to live. Nobody cares about that. I have no guarantee and I have no protection, so based on that experience I want to get something better, better terms on my contract, and obviously paid what I deserve.”
Aside from his inability to try boxing and the constant waiting around, this all comes down to money. Francis knows he deserves a massive payday, and the UFC didn’t want to give it to him. Rightfully so, Francis got sick and tired, as did the UFC.
Check out the official announcement.
Here we see Dana White gaslight Ngannou by claiming the UFC was prepared to make Francis the highest-paid heavyweight in UFC history.
If I’m Francis, I’m hysterically laughing.
Think of it this way: the highest-paid Heavyweight in UFC history was Brock Lesnar. For his UFC 200 fight against Mark Hunt, it was disclosed Lesnar got paid $2.5 million plus an unknown amount of PPV points (the fight did 1.2 million buys). In the end, it’s estimated that Lesnar made around $7 million tops for that fight alone.
Francis could make $7 million in the first 30 seconds of a boxing round with Tyson Fury, and he knows it. The UFC knows it. The whole world knows it.
I understand the UFC not wanting to pay him, but it’s a shame they can’t own up to mistreating one of their most popular, friendly, and entertaining fighters. It can’t be ignored they deprived him of competition because he wouldn’t re-sign the contract.
Francis Ngannou will undoubtedly make a statement of his own about the current circumstance and his future plans. But for now, fight fans can only wait and see how the departure of “The Predator” changes the trajectory of the UFC Heavyweight division.
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