Nicely, it’s official: Francis Ngannou is no more time below deal with the UFC.
The information of Ngannou’s departure arrived as a shock to the MMA local community, as he was not only one particular of the largest stars in the promotion but also the reigning UFC heavyweight winner at the time.
“The Predator” had been in a public deal dispute with the UFC the previous calendar year and was a single of the most vocal critics of fighter fork out, demanding greater pay back across the board.
UFC president Dana White, who has experienced problems with Ngannou in the earlier, claimed Ngannou turned down a offer that would have designed him “the best compensated heavyweight” in UFC record.
Ngannou has but to release a community assertion on his departure, but that hasn’t stopped the MMA neighborhood from speculating about his future shift and what led to his unexpected exit.
Verify out some of the reactions under, courtesy of Twitter.
Francis Ngannou is formally very clear to indication a offer with somebody else. White claims they are going to wave any ideal to match and allow him go in other places. He is no extended the UFC heavyweight champion. White says they made available him a deal that would have made him the optimum paid HW ever.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 15, 2023
So, per Dana White, Francis Ngannou is a free agent. Stripped of the title. Waived exceptional negotiating window, no matching rights clause. Unrestricted totally free company for the ideal MMA heavyweight in the globe.
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) January 15, 2023
The UFC are generating a massive oversight if they allow Francis indication with another person else.
He’s mainstream. Power on another level. Exciting. Good character. Wonderful tale. Jones v Ngannou would be an absolutely substantial fight, and for the sake of a few million they are dropping out on tens… pic.twitter.com/yuaN6iEnhh
— MMA Commander (@CommanderMma) January 14, 2023
Dana White wasting no time slandering Francis Ngannou: “Francis is in a area right now wherever he does not want to consider a good deal of danger. He wants to combat lesser opponents for much more money” pic.twitter.com/jt0v5rXzZS
— Kevin Thang (@Skip2MyJays) January 15, 2023
Francis Ngannou may perhaps have the biggest backstory out of all the champions and the UFC couldn’t develop it.
Each megastar the firm has at any time experienced is not since of Dana White but in spite of him.
— Andy Hickey MMA (@AndyHickeyMMA) January 14, 2023
Dana framing this as Ngannou expressing “I will not want to compete at this amount any longer” is fucking hysterical
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) January 15, 2023
With Ngannou now a totally free agent, it will be interesting to see which advertising he decides to indication with or whether or not he will pursue a profession in boxing.
