Former UFC heavyweight champion and recent marquee PFL signing Francis Ngannou has revealed the extent of his damaged relationship with Dana White and the UFC. Ngannou appeared on The MMA Hour after the New York Times broke the news of his PFL deal to explain the situation.
Ngannou stressed that “man to man” things were cool with Dana White, but the business side of the UFC no longer suited him. “I didn’t like the way that things played out.
Francis Ngannou Breaks Silence on UFC Split
Before my last fight, when I fought Ciryl Gane, I met with Dana [White] in a restaurant. I went to him, we spoke, I said, ‘I appreciate everything that you’ve done for me.
I appreciate all the help, but at this point I feel like I don’t belong anymore. I feel like I’m not in the promotion. I’m in a fight in the promotion and I don’t know exactly how I got into a fight with the promotion.’ And he was like, ‘Yes, we want you here. I think you have to change your team,’ or something.
I was like, ‘I feel like I’ve been in a promotion lately without a promoter. I don’t have a promoter anymore.’ I said this to him, ‘I don’t feel like I belong.’ [White said,] ‘What do you mean? Have you ever wanted to come to an event and you don’t get tickets? Or have you ever wanted to go to the P.I. and couldn’t access?’ For a moment I thought about it and I was like, this guy is so good. Look at how he switched the situation. So I’m working my whole life to have access to events and the P.I.?
Anyway, personally, I talked to him man to man, like, I’m cool. I’m just not happy with how our business [was] going, that’s all.”
Ngannou reiterated that the issue was nothing personal, and he was just looking out for himself and the best interests of his fellow fighters. “I think the person to answer that question best is Dana White.
Listen, we have a long relationship. I respect that. I respect what the UFC has done for me. I appreciate them. I moved forward with my life. I had a contract, I fulfilled the contract, we couldn’t agree on another one. Then I went on my [own]. We should be able to go [our own ways] without bad blood.
I don’t have anything personal. I’m just doing business. I’m obligated to do what is good for me, and I’m sorry if what is good for me is bad for somebody. As long as I don’t personally hurt you, I’m just doing what is good for me. The rest, I don’t care. Why should I be upset? Everything has worked out very well for me, so I’m good.”
