Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) world heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou will undergo surgery on his right knee and will be out for approximately nine months. A situation which further complicates the case of the Cameroonian, in conflict with the UFC over his contract and who dreams of at least temporarily leaving mixed martial arts (MMA) for English boxing.
Will we see Francis Ngannou again in an octagon, the fighting cage in mixed martial arts (mma)? The question may seem absurd after the splendid victory of the Cameroonian against the French Ciryl Gane, on January 23, in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) world heavyweight championship. But she asks at least about the UFC.
The one nicknamed “The Predator” has indeed been in conflict for several years with the all-powerful MMA league. In question, his contract signed in 2017 of which neither the terms nor the extension offers suit him. The native of Batié no longer wants to fight for 600,000 dollars per evening. But that’s not the only problem.
Cold War with the UFC
” This contract is actually one-sided., explained Francis Ngannou to RFI. There are no guarantees for you, the fighter. There is nothing protecting you. There are plenty of obligations to the organization, but the organization has no obligations to you. You don’t even have health insurance. You have nothing ! The UFC has no obligation to arrange a fight for you. They can use that as financial pressure “. And the superstar to add: The UFC is a good negotiator. They will use all possible assets to devalue you and pay you less. »
The relationship between Francis Ngannou and the boss of the UFC, Dana White, are strained. During UFC 270, after the victory against the French, Dana White did not come to hang the championship belt around his waist, as is the tradition. The explosive leader also dried up the traditional debriefing of the evening, with the media, even if he has since assured that it had nothing to do with the Cameroonian.
In fact, the UFC is in a delicate position. Francis Ngannou does what few fighters dare: stubbornly refuse to extend and demand more money. Giving him his case would risk setting a precedent. Problem: the person concerned made himself even more essential in the landscape of combat sports by beating Gane, a very serious contender. All while being injured and displaying unsuspected qualities as a wrestler.
Boxing cravings
Boxing star Tyson Fury is well aware of the phenomenon. For several weeks, the WBC heavyweight world champion has been provoking the Cameroonian on social networks. He offered her a fight in English with (thinner) MMA gloves. ” If you wanna make real money, come see the Gipsy King [1] ! “, he launched on the social networks.
Provocations that necessarily please Francis Ngannou. When he was younger, he dreamed of becoming a boxer. It was a bit out of spite, when he was an illegal migrant in Paris, thathe started in MMA, in 2013. And, despite its meteoric rise in this discipline, the phenomenon has never given up on the Noble Art.
A bad operation
Francis Ngannou will nevertheless have to wait before making his professional debut in a ring. On January 26, his agent Marquel Martin revealed that the athlete will be operated on for his right knee ligament injury. He should be out of action for about nine months.
Frustrating for the champion who, at 35, doesn’t have much time to waste. At least these few months should allow Ngannou and the UFC to reconcile their positions. The organization in Las Vegas still has great challenges to offer the king of the heavyweights: a third confrontation against Stipe Miocic from whom he had stolen the championship belt in March 2021; a revenge against Derrick Lewis against whom he sadly lost in July 2018; and, above all, a shock against Jon Jones.
The latter, a long-time UFC light-heavyweight champion, is often considered the greatest MMA fighter in history. He is actively preparing his rise to the heavyweights. With one objective: to beat Francis Ngannou. A shock including the Indomitable Lion also wanted for several months. But, for that, “The Predator” will have to recover well from his serious injury and find common ground with the UFC… In the meantime, he will go and recharge his batteries in Cameroon, his agent said.
[1] Nickname for Tyson Fury.