The UFC has no heavyweight champion. The reigning champ, Francis Ngannou, has refused to re-sign with the UFC, and as such the organization has stripped him of the title, and declared that former interim title holder Ciryl Gane will face Jon Jones in his heavyweight debut this March. UFC president Dana White announced the shocking move at a recent press conference.
“We offered Francis a deal that would have made him the highest paid heavyweight in the history of the company. More than [Brock] Lesnar, more than anybody, and he turned the deal down. We get to this point where I’ve told you guys before, if you don’t want to be here, you don’t have to be here.
Ngannou Stripped of UFC Title, Jon Jones to Make Heavyweight Debut
I think Francis is in a place right now where he doesn’t want to take a lot of risk. [He] feels he’s in a good position where he could fight lesser opponents and make more money. So we’re going to let him do that.
We’re going to release him from his contract, we’re going to give up our right to match, and he can go wherever he wants and do whatever he wants. That’s where we’re at.” White continued, claiming that Ngannou is seeking bigger opportunities with “lesser opponents”.
“We did everything we could to try to make this fight happen and try to give him the fight, but he’s got it in his head that there’s bigger opportunities outside the UFC with lesser opponents.
You’re going to fight arguably the greatest fighter of all time. You’d be the highest paid heavyweight ever in heavyweight history, or you think there’s more money out there to fight somebody who isn’t the greatest of all time, somebody who is a lesser opponent. You’ll have to ask Francis that question, but in my opinion, that’s what it is.”
White stressed, however, that he enjoyed having Ngannou with the organization. “I think he doesn’t want to take the risk. You’re going in against Jon Jones, the best of all time, and at the end of the day there’s nothing wrong with that, that’s just not what we do here. The best fight the best here.
There’s plenty of places where you can do that, and that’s where he’ll end up. He’ll end up somewhere where somebody will throw some money at him, and he’s going to fight fights he thinks he can win.
Whatever he decides to do, it’s been fun while he’s been here. I wish him the best. It’s all good.” What do you think is next for Francis Ngannou? Let us know in the comments.
