Former UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov isn’t impressed with Francis Ngannou’s contract dispute with the UFC. Although the retired champ, who now promotes his own MMA organization, Eagle FC, still refuses to take sides, he believes Ngannou ought to follow through on his deal.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Khabib offered advice to his fellow fighters: read your contracts before you sign them.
Khabib on Ngannou Contract Fiasco: “If you guys have a deal you have to follow through”
“I know one thing. If you sign a deal and you have a contract, you have to follow through. This is just my opinion. I am not against Francis, not against [UFC president Dana White] or UFC. I don’t know what they have between them but I just want to give advice for fighters, for young fighters: when you guys sign a contract, you guys have to read your contracts.
If you sign a deal, like a five-fight deal or a 10-fight deal or a six-fight deal, you have to complete your contract. I’m a religious guy so if you have a deal, you have to follow through with it.
I hear now that the Ngannou deal is finished, his contract is finished, or something like this, I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter who. Francis, Khabib, Kamaru Usman, it doesn’t matter.
If you guys have a deal you have to follow through on it. If not, okay but before you sign read and watch. This is how I live. Even myself, if I have a deal, I have to follow this.”
Of course, whether the UFC and their heavyweight champ will reach a deal remains to be seen. Ngannou wants a pay raise and the chance to box outside the UFC, while Dana White and co would prefer to maintain the vice-like grip they hold on fighters in their employ.
Francis Ngannou’s year-long title reign has been marred by this contract dispute. His sole title defense came against interim title holder Ciryl Gane, who may well have been awarded the interim belt in an attempt to remove Francis’ bargaining power as champ. Instead, Ngannou unified the division, and is now playing hardball with the UFC in pursuit of a better deal.
If Francis Ngannou does leave the UFC, he may well find a new home at Eagle FC. Khabib has pointed out in the past that he will be waiting to sign any UFC fighters who feel they are being mistreated within MMA’s biggest promotion. If Francis does move over to Eagle FC, Khabib will no doubt expect him to stick to the contract.
Do you agree with Khabib? Let us know in the comments.
