Getty Images
Francis Ngannou is now not UFC heavyweight champion and now free to signal with another fight sports activities promotion. Ngannou’s cut up from the UFC comes after greater than a yr of contract disputes between the 2 events.
UFC president Dana White introduced the information at a press convention on Saturday within the quick aftermath of UFC Fight Night. White introduced that Ngannou has been stripped of the UFC heavyweight title and is a free agent. In a uncommon transfer, UFC waived its unique negotiating window and there’s no worth matching clause. That means Ngannou can negotiate with different promotions in MMA or boxing with out interference from the UFC. White additionally introduced that Ciryl Gane vs. Jon Jones can be contested for the vacant UFC heavyweight championship at UFC 285 in Las Vegas on March 4.
White accused Ngannou of desirous to face lesser opponents for more cash and acknowledged that Ngannou might try this exterior of the UFC, including that Ngannou probably wouldn’t have been able to compete from March whereas recovering from harm. Ngannou had repeatedly made it clear that he felt shackled by the UFC contract.
Can’t get sufficient boxing and MMA? Get the most recent on this planet of fight sports activities from two of the perfect within the enterprise. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the perfect evaluation and in-depth information.
“We’ve been engaged on a brand new settlement with Francis for like two years now,” White mentioned. “We had gotten to a degree the place he was going to combat Jon Jones, many who imagine he is the perfect of all time for the heavyweight championship. And Jon Jones has been prepared, and prepared, and capable of combat anyone. He did not care who it was. Could have been anyone within the heavyweight division, he was able to go.
“We supplied Francis a deal that will have made him the very best paid heavyweight within the historical past of the corporate. More than [Brock] Lesnar, greater than anyone, and he turned the deal down.”
Ngannou is at the moment on a six-fight successful streak defeating the likes of Gane, Stipe Miocic, Cain Velasquez and Curtis Blaydes. He final fought in January 2021 the place he scored a call win over Gane however has been recovering from knee surgical procedure ever since.
