Francis Ngannou is probably going by no means returning to the UFC, however for the briefest of moments, the previous heavyweight champion captured an entire lot of consideration after his head coach talked about on a podcast that “The Predator” could be open to that chance.
Whereas the comments from his head coach were blown out of proportion, Ngannou’s identify even being talked about had reigning UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones getting enthusiastic about that potential struggle taking place. Until one thing dramatic modifications, Ngannou could be very a lot nonetheless a part of the PFL’s future plans with hopes that he might ultimately return to the boxing ring as nicely — a possibility that simply wasn’t offered to him within the UFC.
However with greater than two years gone since he hit free company, did Ngannou really make a mistake leaving the UFC to signal a profitable take care of the PFL?
“You’d need to outline what a mistake is,” UFC legend Matt Brown mentioned on the most recent episode of The Fighter vs. The Author. “As a result of for his pockets, he didn’t make a mistake. Preventing Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, win or loss, he made a variety of f*cking cash that he was not going to make within the UFC.
“Legacy clever, he’s already forgotten by way of the heavyweight division in MMA. Legacy clever, I feel it broken his legacy tremendously. Had he received these boxing matches, that will have clearly helped his legacy a shit ton. As an example, after he fought Tyson Fury the primary time, and a variety of us consider that he received, it was fairly shut, debatable however I might argue he in all probability received. I don’t assume anyone was arguing that it was a nasty transfer at that time.”
Ngannou scored a knockdown on Fury, however he ended up on the flawed finish of a choice loss. One struggle later, Ngannou suffered a brutal knockout loss to Anthony Joshua earlier than ultimately returning to the PFL the place he beat Renan Ferreira in his solely struggle with the promotion.
Brown believes the argument surrounding Ngannou’s selection is just based mostly round hindsight being 20/20 and figuring out that he misplaced each of the boxing matches to Fury and Joshua.
“It was after he misplaced and now the UFC is like no matter bro, do your factor,” Brown mentioned. “Now everyone is asking if it was a mistake. However he made extra money in these two matches that he would have made preventing within the UFC for the subsequent 10 years. Was it a mistake on that half? No, however his legacy goes to endure. He’s not going to be within the talks for one of the best heavyweight ever, interval.
“Shedding these two boxing matches might be the worst factor that might have occurred for him. It humanized him lots.”
As a lot as these losses sting, Brown argues that Ngannou continues to be laughing all the way in which to the financial institution as a result of these two boxing matches alongside in all probability paid him greater than he would have made for the remainder of his profession within the UFC.
“Financially, once more, it lined his pockets,” Brown mentioned. “He did nice. Finally that’s what that is, it’s prize preventing — he received the most important prize. Who’re we to say he made a mistake? So it is determined by what you care about.
“Look he made his cash. What all of it comes right down to, if he’s pleased with that, then good for him. I feel it’s powerful for us to name it a mistake.”
Whereas he actually made extra within the boxing ring than he did in MMA, Ngannou wouldn’t have earned peanuts preventing within the UFC, particularly if he received booked for a matchup in opposition to someone like Jones.
However Brown says the sum of money in all probability by no means mattered as a lot to Ngannou because the precept of how his contract negotiations performed out with the UFC versus the management he now maintains over his personal profession.
“I’m going to guess the place Francis can also be wanting as a pure businessman, the enterprise facet of it, his opposition to that’s going to be nicely this struggle introduced in simply arbitrary numbers $100 million and I’m getting $3 million of that and the UFC is getting $97 million of it the place in boxing, I’m getting $50 million of it and so they’re getting $50 million of it,” Brown mentioned. “He’s going to be like why am I promoting myself brief right here?
“No matter whether or not I want $50 million or $3 million would make me comfortable for the remainder of my life, you are feeling such as you’re getting used a little bit bit. I feel actually that was in all probability an even bigger function in it than him feeling like he wanted that a lot cash and him feeling like he’s a cog within the wheel versus being a wheel or simply getting used for one thing.”
On the finish of the day, Brown says two issues will be true concurrently when analyzing the alternatives Ngannou made when he left the UFC, signed with the PFL and crossed over to boxing.
Nobody can argue that he didn’t earn the most important payday attainable with fights in opposition to Fury and Joshua — whatever the end result — and it’s virtually inconceivable to disregard than his relevancy within the sport has modified dramatically now that Ngannou isn’t within the UFC and doubtless received’t ever compete there once more.
“Does Francis care? As a result of I can inform you if I used to be within the scenario, and I had $30 million, you in all probability wouldn’t hear from me both motherf*ckers,” Brown mentioned with fun. “He may favor it that manner, too.
“No person cares about Francis at this level by way of MMA, you don’t even hear individuals speaking about him preventing. I don’t understand how a lot individuals care about him even boxing anymore, however he in all probability received paid greater than any [MMA fighter] in historical past besides possibly Conor [McGregor].”
