An inspirational fighter to many, Francis Ngannou’s dominant style inside an MMA cage and his work helping others outside it has resulted in a respectable following.
Born in Cameroon, Ngannou went from working in sand mines to becoming one of the world's most successful MMA fighters in just a short period. Now, he is considered one of the top fighters who can negotiate big-money deals.
The former UFC champion signed with the Professional Fighters League, which includes the following benefits:
- Fighting under the New Super Fight Division
- A high seven-figure purse for each fight
- A non-exclusive contract when it comes to competing inside a boxing ring
- A minimum salary (as high as $1 million) for his opponent
"I am very excited for this game-changing partnership with the Professional Fighters League to continue my MMA fighting career in the PFL’s PPV Super Fight Division,” said Ngannou. “I believe in the PFL’s 'fighter first' culture and global vision, including developing the sport in Africa. With that, I am also proud to announce that I will serve as Chairman of PFL Africa which will be the leading MMA organization on the continent providing great African fighters the opportunity to compete on a global platform.”
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MMA fans may not see Ngannou compete until 2024, but his impact, especially fighting for a better future for athletes, will be felt across the combat sports world. That is especially true now that Ngannou will fight Tyson Fury in a boxing bout on October 28.
The Sporting News looks into the career of Ngannou, from where he started to how he got to where he is today.
What titles has Francis Ngannou won?
Ngannou is a former UFC heavyweight champion, beating Stipe Miocic for the belt at UFC 260 in March 2021.
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What is Francis Ngannou’s MMA record?
'The Predator' has a 17-3 record with 12 wins via knockout.
At 22, Ngannou started training in boxing, and by 26, he met Fernand Lopez and MMA Factory while in France. From there, his transition to an MMA star began.
Ngannou turned pro in 2013, beating Rachid Benzina via submission. Following a record of 5-1, the 36-year-old joined the UFC in 2015. He went on a six-fight win streak, beating the likes of Curtis Blaydes, Andrei Arlovski, and Alistair Overeem. Fighting for the UFC heavyweight title right away, Ngannou was schooled by Miocic at UFC 220 in 2018. He then lost against Derrick Lewis in his next fight in July.
Needing a big win to prove detractors wrong, Ngannou won four in a row, beating Blaydes again, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, all via knockout. In a rematch at UFC 260, Ngannou knocked out Miocic to win the UFC heavyweight title.
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Suffering from knee injuries, Ngannou successfully defended the title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022. It was his first win via unanimous decision.
That was his last fight for the promotion as Ngannou, who was recovering from knee surgery, and the UFC couldn't come to terms on a new contract. Negotiations during contract talks included requests for health insurance, sponsorships for UFC fighters, and an advocate present for contract negotiations. Denied those requests, Ngannou became an unrestricted free agent and was stripped of the belt.
Talking with Tyson Fury about a boxing bout, ONE FC, and other entities in combat sports, Ngannou chose to sign with the PFL.
Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury
Ngannou will face the WBC heavyweight champion on October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fight dates back to when Ngannou, under a UFC contract at the time, appeared in a boxing ring for what was meant to be Fury’s retirement fight in April 2022 against Dillian Whyte.
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It is unknown if Fury's WBC title is on the line in this legitimate boxing bout.
"I’ve been waiting to meet Tyson in the ring for the past three years," said Ngannou. "My dream was always to box, and to box the best. After becoming the undisputed MMA Heavyweight Champion, this is my opportunity to make that dream come true and cement my position as the baddest man on the planet. I’d like to thank Riyadh Season and my team at 3Point0 Labs for helping put this event together. All I will say to Tyson for now is he better dance in that ring because if I touch him, he’s going to sleep.”