Francis Ngannou continues to find greener pastures in his post-UFC fight career.
Just days before Ngannou’s MMA return was announced against Philipe Lins for the May 16 MVP event on Netflix, news broke that the former UFC heavyweight champion had parted ways with PFL despite having one fight remaining on his deal. In May 2023, the Cameroonian had made waves as one of the biggest MMA free agency acquisitions of this decade — not only for his status atop the heavyweight division, but also because of the unrestricted seven-figure deal he secured. But ultimately Ngannou, 39, fought only once for PFL — defeating Renan Ferreira by first-round TKO in October 2024 — and contributed behind the scenes to the promotion’s launch of its PFL Africa series.
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Speaking on Tuesday’s edition of “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Ngannou said he hoped to fight out the final bout of his PFL deal and had been consistently told by the organization that a matchup was being worked out — only to be released well before his departure was actually announced.
“We parted ways in January,” Ngannou told Uncrowned. “I wanted to also give them a better way to come up with something, because that was their decision to part ways. Not mine. But I was a little surprised when they [made the announcement]. They should have at least told me since I was holding onto this.”
Although Ngannou had been keeping details of his promotional release under wraps to the public, he admitted he’d already negotiated his upcoming MMA return with MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian.
“I found it a little weird that [PFL] didn’t come back to me to be like, ‘OK, now we’re going to announce it.’ They didn’t even tell me,” Ngannou added. “I just saw it out there. I wasn’t aware at all.
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“At that point, I had been talking with Nakisa for two or three weeks.”
Ngannou wasn’t the only high-profile signing to recently part ways with the PFL.
It was revealed in late January that Jake Paul had also split with PFL despite never making his long-teased MMA debut over the course of his three-year deal with the promotion. The boxer and MVP co-founder now stays linked to Ngannou, as the latter gears up to fight on Paul’s first foray into MMA promotion.
Since Paul’s loss to Anthony Joshua in December, bad blood has brewed between he and Ngannou. The former UFC champion was offered a chance to face Paul before Joshua signed onto the bout. Ngannou ultimately declined though, turning Paul sour on “The Predator” and prompting Paul to label Ngannou a bad boxer and “easy fight.” Paul has even noted how he lasted longer against Joshua than Ngannou did.
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“I want to kick this guy’s a**,” Ngannou said Tuesday.
“Jake is just being Jake. I don’t really know what to say about it, he’s being him. He’s always been like that. … I think what is annoying me was mostly back in November [after their failed talks], but I know it’s just Jake being Jake. He kept being pushy and say all these things, which is the same thing that he’s saying now. Now I’m used to it. But back then, that was like the first time he was coming out with it.”
Any personal feelings aside, Ngannou is as excited as the rest of the fighters getting their shot on the first MMA card ever to air on Netflix, headlined by the returns of Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano.
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There’s no telling whether MVP or Netflix will continue to host MMA events after May’s debut venture. But from Ngannou’s perspective, the whole event is a positive, progressive step forward for the sport.
“We don’t know [if this is a one-off]. Nobody knows that — they don’t even know yet. Hopefully, it lasts,” Ngannou said. “Netflix is the broadcaster. Hopefully, they like this and then want more — therefore it will last and everybody will be happy. I think it’s good for everyone.”
MVP’s MMA debut also comes at an interesting time for the sport.
Between the UFC’s new $7.7 billion broadcast deal, its upcoming White House event and UFC CEO Dana White helming Zuffa Boxing — which signed boxer Conor Benn to a reported $15 million, one-fight deal — UFC fighters are beginning to voice their concerns over poor treatment and pay much louder and more openly than in recent years. Among those voices has been all-time UFC great Jon Jones, who recently claimed he negotiated for a similar payout but failed to get a dollar over that $15 million threshold.
Francis Ngannou continues to do things his way in life.
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters)
Before Ngannou left the UFC in 2022, a mega-fight with Jones was on the table and fell through in a similar fashion to that of Jones’ potential clashes with Tom Aspinall or for a White House fight. Now, watching from the outside, Ngannou sees Jones’ frustrated request for his UFC release as a major problem in the making.
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“I know the tactic. I know the house tactic. So I’m more [inclined] to believe what Jon Jones said,” Ngannou said. “When I see [what Dana White says], I can more understand, I can read between lines. I know how he works out there. And I … 95 or 98% believe what Jon Jones said.
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“Of course Jon Jones deserves that [payday]. What are you talking about? Jon Jones has been in this organization for how long? Jon Jones has been a champion since he was 23, I believe. Over 15 years? If there’s somebody that deserves something nowadays, like just even to pay him tribute, it’s Jon Jones. Jon Jones needs to get paid maybe not only for the fight that he’s fighting, but for what he has done for the sport, for where he has taken the sport to.
“Isn’t this the Jon Jones [who White is] out there bragging that he’s the GOAT? If the GOAT is not respected, then who should be respected? I worry if the GOAT is being treated like that. I truly worry if that’s how they treat the GOAT, then those who are not the GOATs, imagine what they are going through.”
