LAS VEGAS, NEVADA — The UFC President has reacted to his former UFC Heavyweight champion’s new deal with Professional Fighters League (PFL).
It has been an enormous week for Francis Ngannou as he has a new home and a killer deal that he has needed. The previous UFC Heavyweight champion has signed with the PFL and can battle in 2024 with a excessive seven-figure purse, on prime of serving on PFL’s World Athlete Advisory Board.
The strain between Ngannou’s former boss, UFC president Dana White, and himself has been at an all-time excessive for the previous 12 months, and it looks like it isn’t going wherever. Through the UFC Vegas 73 post-fight press convention (watch here), White gave his ideas on Ngannou signing with the PFL.
“Primarily based on what I do know concerning the deal, which isn’t a lot, it is mindless to me,” White informed the media. “I imply, you’re going to pay a man to not battle for a 12 months, and it’s already been like 18 months- he’s fought 3 times within the final three years. It’s simply not what we do right here. The day that we launched him, I knew precisely what was going to occur.”
White criticized Ngannou when he launched him earlier this 12 months for eager to battle lesser opponents for more cash and take no dangers. He reiterated that through the press convention.
“Francis needs to take zero dangers, he doesn’t need to take any possibilities, and he clearly didn’t need to take an opportunity in opposition to Jon Jones, and after we noticed what occurred with Ciryl Gane, I don’t blame him,” White mentioned. “I believe the end result would have been precisely the identical, and I’m certain most of you do, and I believe Francis does too. And the media makes it sound like I’m saying that he’s afraid of him. I don’t suppose that he’s afraid of anyone; it’s simply that he doesn’t need to take any danger.”
“He needs to, you realize, PFL’s going to pay this man to coach for a boxing match that won’t even occur and that they may not even be concerned in. How does that make any sense? Anthony Joshua known as it a gimmick battle this week. When [Joshua was] requested about that battle, he’s like, ‘I’m centered on preventing the most effective guys on the planet. You already know, I’m not interested in the gimmick fight right now.’ And that’s one of many huge issues with boxing proper now. It’s all about these gimmicky kind fights. And that’s simply not what I do right here. I placed on fights with the most effective fighters on the planet and fights that folks need to see.”
The UFC tried each which strategy to re-sign Ngannou after his UFC 270 win over Ciryl Gane, which included quite a few dinners with Chief Enterprise Officer Hunter Campbell, however in the end they couldn’t agree on a deal.
“Francis might have finished a deal right here. Hunter threw the kitchen sink at that man,” White mentioned. “Hunter went to extra dinners with Francis Ngannou and did all the things in his energy to attempt to get this battle finished. Francis simply thinks that he’s able the place he’s acquired some Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather battle on his fingers, which he doesn’t. That battle was like a once-in-a-lifetime kind deal… MMA guys vs. boxers doesn’t make any sense to me, however I do know that he thinks there’s all this cash in it; I disagree; I don’t suppose there may be.”
The UFC president was perplexed by the deal that PFL gave to Ngannou however gave them props for making an attempt to enter enterprise with the Center East to probably purchase competing blended martial arts (MMA) promotion Bellator, which has been rumored.
“I’ve acquired no beef with the PFL. These guys have at all times been tremendous skilled and by no means talked any smack,” White mentioned. “You already know me if I don’t such as you… I don’t maintain again; I’ll let you’ve it. I’m listening to that they’re elevating cash proper now, $280 million, $300 million from the Center East. I don’t know what the quantity is from the Center East. I’ve finished plenty of enterprise within the Center East. These guys are sharp. I don’t know who within the hell would give them $280 million; I’m listening to they’re shopping for Bellator. So, you’re a corporation that’s burning money, you haven’t any rankings and promoting no tickets, and also you’re going to lift $280 million to purchase an organization that’s burning money, sells no tickets, and does no rankings. It sounds f—king completely genius to me.”
In the long run, White wished Ngannou good luck however blasted him for not preventing PFL’s present champion.
“I understand how this story ends. I get what Francis is doing. I want to PFL all of the luck on the planet. I want him all of the luck on the planet. It’s simply not what we do right here,” White mentioned. “When you consider it, he’s going to this firm. I don’t know what they’re paying him or what’s happening or any of that stuff. He’s not even preventing their champions. You already know what I imply? He needs the field. He indicators with this firm, and he’s not even keen to battle their champions proper now. He’s fought 3 times within the final three years…Am I the one one which this complete factor is only a bunch of bullsh-t?”
Finally, will probably be a ready recreation to see if Ngannou’s ‘bullsh-t’ deal shall be a wash or not. For his rapid future, he has mentioned many occasions he’ll field earlier than he fights one other MMA battle, so now it’s simply ready to see his subsequent fight sports activities transfer.
For full UFC Vegas 73 outcomes, protection, and highlights click on HERE.
