MMA legend reveals ‘lesson’ left by Francis Ngannou when signing with PFL

Francis Ngannou signs a contract with the PFL. Photo: Playback/Instagram

The recent agreement between Francis Ngannou and the PFL may have signaled the beginning of a ‘new era’ in world MMA. In an interview with ‘MMA Fighting’, former UFC champion Randy Couture said that the Cameroonian wanted ‘more than money’ and stated that many heavyweights (up to 1202.kg) should try the same path in the near future.

“I think this is definitely going to get the attention of a lot of guys in the division. Surely, they should look into this and consider the same when they become free agents in the near future. Look at those million dollar checks they give out at the PFL Finals. Six new millionaires walked out of the arena that night and some of them fought for a long time and never received that amount of money. Some would probably struggle their entire career and never see that kind of money,” said Couture.

The MMA legend said that Ngannou was not only looking for a bigger salary, but also wanted better working conditions for himself and his fellow professionals.

“It wasn’t just about money. The money the UFC was offering him was very good compared to what has been happening in our sport. It was on these other things that the PFL was happy to give more value to Francis, to give him a voice, to make him part of the athlete’s advisory board, to make him president of the PFL in the continent where he grew up. I think all of these were huge factors for our sport”, concluded the legend.

Free on the market, Francis Ngannou hasn’t acted professionally since January 2022 when he hit Cyryl Gane in the unification of the heavyweight belts. A year later, the Cameroonian did not reach an agreement with the UFC for the renewal of his contract and was dismissed by the organization chaired by Dana White.