Francis Ngannou: The Man Behind the Fights

Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champ, left the organization in January 2023 after a contract dispute. He wanted better benefits and the chance to box. Now, he's with the PFL, trying his hand in the boxing ring. His debut against Tyson Fury was a shock, but he lost to Anthony Joshua next. Ngannou wants to return to the UFC, but it's not looking good. UFC CEO Dana White shared some stories that paint Ngannou in a different light. White says Ngannou had two physical altercations behind the scenes. One was in White's office, where Ngannou grabbed him by the shirt. The other involved UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell, where Ngannou pulled him back by the collar. White also talked about a time before Ngannou's first title shot. Ngannou demanded a private plane to Paris after his fight. White laughed it off, but Ngannou was serious. After Miocic won, White said he should have cut Ngannou then. White doesn't think highly of Ngannou. He said Ngannou is not the nice guy he pretends to be. He thinks Ngannou uses the language barrier as an excuse. With this bad blood, it's unlikely Ngannou will return to the UFC. Ngannou is now with the PFL and Saudi Arabia. He wants to fight Jon Jones, but White doesn't think that will happen. He knows Ngannou's true character and doesn't believe the PFL will have a good experience with him.