Francis Ngannou doesn’t care about his “legacy.”
When Francis Ngannou left the UFC as Heavyweight champion in pursuit of greener pastures, he faced quite a bit of doubt and criticism from his former employers and the general fanbase alike. At first, many were convinced Ngannou would fail to find a profitable home outside of the Octagon, but his massive PFL contract and substantial boxing payouts squashed that narrative.
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The other knock against Ngannou’s decision was that his UFC legacy would be affected. Many argued that “The Predator” would fall victim to the notoriously short memory of fight fans despite his championship career. If that is the case, Ngannou has revealed he doesn’t much care. In his opinion, the wealth he secured for his family is much more important than fan legacy.
“Let me tell you what [legacy is],” Ngannou told MMA Junkie. “My legacy right now are my kids. [It’s] my family back home getting healthcare, getting security, being able to put food on the table, being able to put a roof on their heads. That’s a better legacy. You can keep the Muhammad Ali or whatever — if your kid cannot attend school, he has no place in society. If your kid doesn’t have food in the stomach … legacy doesn’t help you. You cannot go to the store or a gas station or pay a scholarship fee with legacy. You have to understand that this is the bulls—t the promotion says fighters should fight with. They’re all out there fighting for legacy. Good for you! Keep the legacy, give me my pay, what I deserve.”
Recently, Ngannou ended his contract with PFL and has signed with Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) to fight Philippe Lins at the Rousey vs. Carano mega event in May. With a bit of luck, Ngannou is hoping to parlay a victory over Lins into a showdown versus MVP head honcho Jake Paul, a high-profile matchup that could secure quite a bit more “legacy” for the former UFC champion.
