Francis Ngannou revealed that he is closed to signing with PFL or ONE Championship.
Francis Ngannou has revealed he would be signing with a MMA promoter soon, though he said he is yet to make his decision.
Ngannou officially entered free agency in January after protracted contract renewal talks with the UFC fell through. Now, that free agency appears to be close to ending as Ngannou revealed he is has narrowed his future MMA promoter to two leading candidates.
“I have made a decision,” Ngannou told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour on Wednesday. “Without making a done deal, I know what my next move is going to be. I know that I want to fight boxing first and then after that I will fight MMA. I’m going to sign with one MMA promotion. I haven’t made a decision on that yet, [but I’m] very close. …
“PFL and ONE FC right now, we are very close. We will see.”
One of the primary problems Ngannou mentioned when talking about his struggles with the UFC was the restrictive nature of UFC contracts and the lack of respect he felt from the promotion. That hasn’t been the case during his short time in free agency.
“I’m going to do what I’m doing, and what is interesting about it, obviously there is huge money down here, but also, most of this deal has been viewed as a partnership, which is great for me,” Ngannou said. “I feel well-respected, appreciated. It is different. It feels different.
“Listen, I never thought there was an MMA promotion that pays more than UFC, or that has [more] money than the UFC. If the UFC wants to pay somebody, they will pay you, but the way that he comes, I’m not down for it. I’d rather get something with more value. My last three years weren’t so happy, so excited. Maybe at the end of the day, this is good for everybody.”
Another factor Ngannou is focused on for his signing is the opportunity to make an event happen in Africa.
“We have to do something in Africa,” he said. “It’s time to get stuff out here in Africa. I don’t have to travel all the time. I will still travel, because it takes time to build. But either way, we’re going to build something out here. Maybe if it’s not for me, then it will be for my people. That’s the condition.”
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