Francis Ngannou’s decision to leave the UFC led him to land one of the biggest boxing matches of the year against Tyson Fury. However, his exit from UFC was met with doubts by those around him, including many MMA fighters, but the 37-year-old shocked everyone by delivering a spectacular performance last weekend. Not just this, but the former heavyweight champion even knocked out unbeaten ‘The Gypsy King’ in the third round, and the skillful display of his moves was enough to shut down his naysayers.
Amidst the doubts, it is also important to remember the complications that led to Ngannou’s exit from the UFC. He recently expressed the same and claimed is not willing to talk about Dana White on MMAFighting after bagging a multi-million bout that not only brought money but also proved his mettle by giving tough competition to Fury.
During an interview with Ariel Helwani, Ngannou expressed his take on UFC president Dana White’s views on his performance saying “Who cares?” and how he doesn’t want to pay any heed to it.
Francis Ngannou on Dana White’s feeling about his fight: “Who cares?”
“I can’t be anybody’s puppet. I’m too big for that. I’m too proud for that.” #TheMMAHour
▶️ https://t.co/29tcNQ84pn pic.twitter.com/8rk4ZhnbrG
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) October 30, 2023
The former UFC heavyweight champion further emphasized how White the power over many UFC fighters who are like his puppets and that he refuses to become one. He said,
“I can’t be anybody’s puppet. I’m too big for that. I’m too proud for that.”
The shared rivalry between Dana White and Francis Ngannou hasn’t cooled down as the exchange of remarks continues to keep the rivalry intact and fresh.
The never-ending bitter saga between Dana White and Francis Ngannou
The exemplary performance displayed by the Cameroonian-French fighter in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, speaks volumes about his fighting skills and faith in himself, as his decision to leave the UFC wasn’t easy.
Ngannou started his journey in the UFC and later became the heavyweight champion. However, over time, he had a conflict of interests with UFC president Dana White. ‘The Predator’ had certain demands like health insurance, sponsorship, and the freedom to fight independently outside the UFC, which didn’t get a nod from White.
As his demands were not met, Ngannou took an exit from the UFC and signed a deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) earlier this year. He then went on to bag a fight against one of the great heavyweights Fury and earned a jaw-dropping multi-million fight purse.
This fight not only helped Ngannou prove his mettle and establish himself as one of the toughest contenders. But also opened doors for future opportunities for him and the rest of the fighters from the combat world.
