Ex-UFC Fighter Opens Up About Leaving UFC for PFL Due to Irresistible Offer: “I Couldn’t Really Say No”

Is PFL a better place for fighters than the UFC? Francis Ngannou left the Dana White-led company for PFL and is now a millionaire for it. And now, after 15 fights in the UFC, British fighter, Marc Diakiese is following in the Cameroonian’s footsteps. And ‘Bonecrusher’ has very good reasons for doing so.

Speaking to MMA Junkie, about his move to PFL, Diakiese talked about how he was offered a more lucrative deal, one that was irresistible.

“I was one of these things, I felt like it was coming and obviously after my last fight so the fight in London that was the last fight in my contract, and I got sent to Brazil last minute and it was just there so I knew like I was a free agent but then the UFC will still give me a contract so I didn’t get a contract, I was waiting because I was meant to be in the July card and PFL came about with a good offer so I couldn’t really say no so I asked for obviously to let me go.” 

Diakiese claims that the UFC never renewed his contract despite him picking up a win against Kaue Fernandes in Brazil.

So, when the PFL came knocking with a better offer, ‘Bonecrusher’ took it with both hands and is running with it.

At the same time, the 31-year-old also warned his PFL compatriots that no one was safe since he was coming for them.

Parting from the UFC, Marc Diakiese issues a warning to his PFL competitors

Making his debut in 2016, Diakiese kicked off his UFC career with three back-to-back-to-back wins, two via TKO. But things quickly went south when he met Drakkar Klose in 2017.  His next three fights were three straight losses which drowned his stocks until he won the next two fights.

While the Ws kept coming, the Ls also kept racking up; a recurring theme with his UFC career.

In the end, out of his 15 bouts in the UFC, he got eight wins and suffered a total of seven losses. Now after signing the contract with the new company, Diakiese had a stern warning for his lightweight competitors. Only time will tell how much of a real threat he would become at his new job.