Francis Ngannou parted ways with the UFC, much to the surprise and dismay of many. After defending his title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270, many expected his reign to continue. However, Ngannou has revealed that he would have left the UFC even earlier if not for certain clauses.
Recently, Ngannou appeared on Joe Rogan‘s podcast and discussed numerous topics. Among the things the duo touched upon, they spoke about what went on behind the scenes between Francis and the UFC. Previously, Ngannou was in long-drawn conversations with the promotion, which eventually did not bear fruit.
Speaking about the negotiations, Ngannou reveals that there were numerous terms that did not sit well with him. “First of all, I wanted contract without extensions,” Ngannou said. “Because I have seen how they can abuse of those extension . . . the extension is that because they say, if you deny a fight, they can extend you for six months or something. If you’re hurt and can’t fight, they can extend you for six months or something. But the problem, the UFC is the judge and the party . . . you have no say.”
A rather serious accusation from the former champ, Ngannou also had a few more things to say. Notably, he also pointed out how the UFC made him forego a very lucrative sponsorship. Due to their deal with Crypto.com, the UFC prevented Ngannou from having any other sponsors. As a result, Ngannou had a $1.2 million deal snatched away from him.
Francis Ngannou reveals how he was held in ‘contract jail’ by the UFC
Thus, Ngannou explained how the UFC essentially puts fighters in a ‘contract jail’. Further, he delved into how the UFC did the same thing to him by extending his contract over and over again. As Ngannou reveals, he was unable to fight at times due to unavoidable circumstances, which the hierarchy never took into consideration. Thus, ‘The Predator’ felt the full brunt of the UFC’s misuse of power.
As such, he tells Joe Rogan, “…my contract, originally supposed to end in May 20th of that year. So if my contract ends on May 20th of that year, that means the championship close kicks in which is one year… I was in Cameroon on May 19th. So one day before my original contract which was 14 months, expired and then the championship kick in, I receive an extension letter.” Here, Ngannou reveals how his contract was extended time and again, completely against his wishes.
As it turns out, Ngannou injured his knee during a sparring session before the Ciryl Gane fight. Notably, he suffered an injury to his MCL and ACL. However, the extension meant he would have to fight an extra fight as well. Prior to this, Ngannou had already faced an extension when he was suffering from COVID-19. At the time, Ngannou received his extension letter in Cameroon. In conclusion, Ngannou had a lot of difficulty trying to get out of his contract.
Thankfully, he has finally managed to do so, with the decision set to pay significant dividends soon. According to reports, Francis will make more than all his UFC payouts combined, when he faces Tyson Fury next month. Among all things, the freedom to box was also a non-negotiable for Ngannou, who wanted to emulate Conor McGregor’s success. With that said, Francis Ngannou finally seems to be at ease and enjoying his time as a free man.