Cameroonian mixed martial artist Francis Ngannou has been stripped of his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight title after his contract was terminated by the American fight promotion company.
He is now an unrestricted free agent.
UFC president Dana White, who recently found himself in the midst of controversy, after he was captured on video hitting his wife multiple times in a United States nightclub, said Ngannou will be released from his contract after turning down a mega offer to defend the heavyweight division’s title.
Mr White stated the offer would have made the 36-year-old the highest-paid heavyweight of all time.
“We offered Ngannou a deal that would make him the highest-paid heavyweight of all time,” Mr White said. “He turned it down. We’re gonna release him from his contract. He can go and do whatever he wants,” he added at the UFC Vegas 67 post-fight press conference.
Ngannou, who made his MMA debut in 2013, had been at loggerheads with UFC for more than two years over an improved offer which failed to yield any positive results. The American fight promotion company has been called out multiple times for underpaying its fighters.
“I’m not here to chase ghosts. I’m chasing what is real, what is possible. But at this point, I don’t know what is the stage of my situation with the UFC. So we’re gonna see how this plays out and see what is on the table. Then we can deal with what is on the table. As of now, I can’t allow myself to speculate about anything,” ‘The Predator’ said about his future with UFC last year.
The fighter is yet to comment on the decision to terminate his contract nor has he made any comment regarding what the future holds.
However, multiple reports suggest that Ngannou, who is arguably the biggest free agent in MMA history, may be heading to a rival promotion after he was pictured with one of his relatives wearing a Professional Fighters League (PFL) t-shirt.
PFL is an American mixed martial arts league founded in 2017 by Donn Davis.
Yet rumours also suggested that Ngannou could be heading to a different direction entirely with a full transition to professional boxing not out of the picture.
Ngannou and reigning WBC heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury have both touted a potential fight in the ring after several back-and-forth teasers on social media in a show of the “baddest” man on the planet.
Fury once said that the Cameroonian “is on my hit list in an exhibition fight, however he wants it. In a cage, in a boxing ring, boxing gloves, UFC gloves – we can make it happen.
He added: “I think everyone wants to see it. He’s a monster of a guy, I’m a monster of a guy, so it’ll be a clash of the titans for sure.”
In his response while speaking to MMA Hour podcast, Ngannou said: “Make it a hybrid fight, something that makes it a little uncomfortable for him as a boxer. Ideas like MMA gloves or fighting barefoot. We still have to figure this out.
He added: “We both want this fight, that’s clear, and we respect each other. Probably next year it will happen. I think it’s going to happen.
Immediately after saying Ngannou would no longer be with the promotion, UFC boss Dana White announced that former light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones would be making a return after more than three years away to face Ciry Gane for the now vacant heavyweight title.
Jones, currently on a eight-fight deal, has been teasing a comeback at the heavyweight division since 2020. Considered one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, has a 26-1 record in the light heavyweight division.
Meanwhile, Gane is currently ranked number one in the UFC heavyweight division and has a record of 9-1, with the only loss coming in the defeat to Ngannou in January 2022.
