Francis Ngannou took a slap in the face from former employers at the UFC following his decision to leave the company for a boxing run.
The former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight titleholder left Dana White’s company acrimoniously despite holding the coveted strap.
Ngannou wanted to branch out and leave the well-documented monetary restrictions of a UFC contract. The Cameroonian saw boxing as a way to bow out of combat with a massive payday.
He immediately targeted Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury for a massive crossover clash. Eventually, Fury came to the table. They then struck a lucrative deal to fight in Saudi Arabia on October 28.
However, in the run-up to UFC 294, also taking place in the Middle East, Ngannou was dissed by his old bosses.
As friend and countryman Kamaru Usman went through media formalities for UFC’s Embedded series, it was clear how Ngannou’s move to boxing had been taken.
UFC blurs a Francis Ngannou shirt worn by Kamaru Usman
UFC blurred out Usman’s shirt, leading to some wondering what it said. Ngannou then commented before many responded with the actual contents of the garment.
Usman was wearing a Roots of Fight Francis Ngannou shirt, which UFC deemed inappropriate to show its audiences.
Ngannou took it in jest, but it certainly irked him.
“Hey bro, that’s a nice shirt you have there, but I can’t see what is in front,” said Ngannou when tagging in Usman.
Hey bro @USMAN84kg that's a nice shirt you have there but I can't see what is in front 😉🤔 @rootsoffight pic.twitter.com/sEHFueODou
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) October 19, 2023
Petty
UFC was called ‘petty’ in the fallout by not recognizing a former champion and what he gave the octagon during his tenure.
The fact he wanted to make a significant amount of cash in one fight before he retired seems to have been missed by White or, at the very least, dismissed.
White had plans to pit Ngannou against Jon Jones in a huge event. Losing out on keeping Ngannou continues to sting.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer.
Editor of World Boxing News since 2010.
