Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou seems to be taking a relaxed approach to his departure from the organization, despite criticisms from fans and pundits about his missed opportunities for lucrative paychecks. Ngannou, who unified the heavyweight titles against then-interim champion Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022, chose not to renew his contract with the UFC, leading to his exit from the promotion.
He has since been holding talks with other organizations, including the likes of ONE Championship, but has yet to seal the deal.
The Reign of Francis Ngannou: Unbothered by Critics and Fumbling the Bag with a Knockout Punch
Responding to accusations that he was missing out on big money deals, Ngannou joked on Twitter that he was “just out here fumbling the bag.” It seems the former champ is unbothered by the criticism, taking a light-hearted jab at his critics and their two-faced tactics.
Ngannou is super renowned for his vicious knockout power. He has a successful record inside the Octagon. “The Predator” Ngannou has been able to defeat some of the real top tier contenders in the heavyweight class, such as Alistair Overeem, Andrei Arlovski, Cain Velasquez, and Curtis Blaydes.
Just out here fumbling the bag 💰 pic.twitter.com/RmJXork1Yb
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) May 9, 2023
Although leaving the UFC, Ngannou is still looked at as a formidable opponent in the combat sports community. As he continues his hiatus from active competition, fans and critics alike eagerly await Ngannou’s next move.
The Price of Power: Ngannou’s Negotiation Game
However, some in the sport accuse Ngannou of missing out on potentially lucrative deals, including a reported $20,000,000 contract with ONE Championship. In response to these claims, Ngannou called some promoters and figureheads in the sport “two-faced”. Ngannou continues to be among the UFC’s fiercest knockout artists despite the jokes.
In his title rematch against Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 in March 2021, he stopped his opponent with a massive second-round KO. While some may question Ngannou’s negotiation tactics, there’s no denying his raw power and skill inside the Octagon. So let’s just sit back and enjoy the quirky clever banter from one of the sport’s most fascinating icons while he takes some time off to plan out and hopefully finalize his next move.
