Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou believes the UFC has actively worked to undermine him since he departed from the promotion in January 2023. ‘The Predator’ left the promotion after failed contract negotiations, walking away as the reigning titleholder.
Speaking with Ariel Helwani, Ngannou addressed why more fighters don’t follow his path of leaving the UFC to pursue opportunities elsewhere. He pointed to the treatment he’s received since his exit as a cautionary tale.
Since I left, don’t you see what they try to do?” Ngannou said. “All this, blah, blah, blah. All the things, all the narratives they try to drive.”
“The mission has always been to destroy Francis, to damage Francis,” he added. “Tell me about somebody who left, went out, and (could be) something. Basically as a champion. Nobody has left as a champion, so they want to close that door.
Ngannou’s Post-UFC Journey
After leaving the UFC, Ngannou signed with the PFL in May 2023. He competed once under the PFL banner, defeating Renan Ferreira via TKO in October 2024 to win the PFL Super Fights heavyweight title.
During his time with PFL, Ngannou also pursued boxing matches against Tyson Fury in October 2023 and Anthony Joshua in March 2024. He parted ways with PFL in early 2026.
Ngannou has since signed with Most Valuable Promotions and is scheduled to face Philipe Lins in the co-main event of MVP’s debut MMA card on Netflix on May 16th, 2026, at Intuit Dome in California. The event is headlined by Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano.
The Cameroonian fighter enters the bout on a seven-fight MMA winning streak with a professional record of 18-3.
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