The MMA Hour: Special Tuesday edition with Francis Ngannou | Jan 17, 2023
On Tuesday, we’ll be airing a very special edition of The MMA Hour.
We’ll be joined by Francis Ngannou to talk about his exit from the UFC, how things went down, what’s next for the former UFC heavyweight champion, plus a whole lot more.
The show airs live beginning at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. UK time.
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Francis on advocating for fighter health insurance - “What about those guys at the bottom? They cannot afford health insurance. And I have been there, so it is something that I still carry in my heart.” Bro, this dude is amazing. Edit: Hey Ariel, thanks for being you, brother. So much respect. Only reason Dana punches down on you is cause you’re the only one with the balls to speak truth to power. Keep pushing.
Got me shedding a tear fam ngl
Shows how little he knows.
He surelly can put him self at The beginers shoes
@@Thunderfist_McBeefcake we know that’s you Dana.
8 mill plus ppv points are enough to pay for medicL bills
"If I lost everything today...I've seen worse." I felt that. So happy for Francis and looking forward to what he does next.
What a line
I think he’s trying to say his life in Cameroon was hard but if he lost everything today, he’d be dead. Thank god the UFC booted this idiot.
Yeah except nobody is going to watch what he does next because it won't be on the UFC unfortunately that's the way it is most people have no idea what time belator is or pfl or any of those so unless Tyson fury blesses him Wich he might not do he could be screwed
@@SuperChristian808 bro I feel like a match up against Wilder is better though
@@-RJ2007 100% sells it self MMA knock out king vs boxing knockout king
5:28 Francis joins the show 8:12 When was the last time Francis spoke to the UFC 10:42 What was the negotiations with UFC 14:14 What did Francis want from UFC 19:41 Francis reaction to Dana’s press conference about him leaving 21:47 Francis talks about Boxing 26:42 Will the UFC actually let Francis free from their matching period 27:57 has anyone from UFC reached out to Francis since he left 30:30 How is Francis knee recovery going 32:45 When did Francis and Dana’s beef start originally 38:53 Why did Fracis choose to negotiate with UFC without a manager 44:30 Does Francis want to Box, has he been offered any fights 47:35 Francis talks about Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua 51:05 is there anyone in MMA that Francis wants to fight 52:13 Has Francis talked to Jake Paul about the PFL, and fighting in Africa 54:26 is Francis interested to rejoin UFC in the future 1:04:22 How many years does Francis want to fight for 1:07:43 Never underestimate someone who has hope 1:13:40 Francis’s mom was wearing a PFL tee shirt 1:15:29 a message from Francis to all the people who has supported him 1:18:04 Will Francis watch Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane 1:19:48 Ariel thanks Francis for joining the show and Francis interview ends *This was quite hard to do* *Please like so others can see* Also, I have podcast about MMA too, if you’ve got some time please support: kzhead.info/sun/qaZmdZWPhZl8f40/bejne.html
Aye goodlooks
You’re a hero, I will watch your podcast too after this! Thanks
Not all heroes wear capes 🦸🏿♂️
Goat
thanks 👍
For a man that escaped extreme poverty, crossed a desert into more poverty, know and speak 3 languages I know of and become an amazing Champion he deserves every bit of respect. Love Francis
I don't know why you're telling us how many languages you speak like it matters.
@@akritasdigenis4831list out his resume dumb dumb
@@akritasdigenis4831 its an impressive and enviable trait to many people. why are you acting like your opinion matters XD
Boxers don't get health care is he going to demand everyone get that for him to box or just take the bread?
@@akritasdigenis4831 He's referring to FN, ydc.
Francis English speaking articulation is more advanced than Dana's joke of a press conference.Respect
Truth! Francis is a stand up dude. Dana tried to out-dog him and couldn't. Good for Francis for standing his ground.
@@lioncvet21 I’m sorry but Francis took the L . He doesn’t sell PPV . He looks lost and confused . I get it you’re emotional about Dana but I’ve watched Francis interviews before and this looks like a timid version. The UFC doesn’t need Francis. ESPN loses money when he fights . It’s better for him that he isn’t in the UFC. This was just an embarrassing way to go. Hopefully he gets the boxing payday he wants
All Dana cares about is money and his cash cows, everything else is a nuisance to him.
@Mosaab twice What are you trying to say here bro?
@litecoin satoshi yeah that’s an awful deal considering he could make 30million in one boxing match.
Francis is an example for every worker in the world. He honored his contract and believe in his own worth. Respect and Merci. 🥊💸
😂😂 your a dummy Francis screwed himself on this
What about the sand mines and the glass for my windows??? He didn't care about those workers ..did he?
@@SNAFU.. easy to said that behind your laptop. Man up mate
Even after all the hardships the man went though in his life, he was still willing to stand up for his principles when so much was on the line. Hope he gets the boxing fights and lots of succes in the future 🥊
The 2 boxers he said he'd fight are Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. 2 of the best. If he does box, he'll make alot of money but he'll get destroyed. They'd be licking their lips at an easy pay day. After he loses, his stock drops and people won't be interested. Maybe Jake Paul fights him. If he signs with an MMA organisation, he'll fight nobody of relevance like Ryan Bader. That promotion wouldn't want Francis fighting Cross promotion either unless they get a massive cut. His best option was to sign a 5 fight deal, get all year round health care for himself, sitting a precedent for other fighters. Stopped listening to idiots telling him he should box and just cement a legacy in the UFC by beating Jon Jones. The money was good, stay humble
If he doesn't get the big boxing pay day he can always go back to UFC.
Stay in the UFC for peanuts or get big paydays and retire. I choose the big paydays. Dana and the UFC are snakes.. boxers make so much more than these UFC fighters
@@mandingo1125 8 million dollars is peanuts!?
More like he overplayed his hand thinking he could negotiate boxing into his contract. This is the UFC. If you want to box go box. Bye Felicia!
This man is blessed with immense power, golden heart and a sharp brain. Go Francis!!!!!!
Sharp brain? He left the UFC with no manager, no plan, no opponents, no real offers, no money to self-promote in boxing. He's almost 37 and coming back from surgury on 2 torn knee ligaments and weighs over 309lbs right now. He isn't smart, he just listens to delusional fans who don't understand how the fight game works. UFC won. Francis legacy will forever be a 'what if he stayed...'
@@DuelyusSeazer OUCH. Seems like career suicide what he did but he wasn't happy with somethings.Boxing he will get crushed in any top ten heavyweight out there.Anyway good luck to him maybe get a boxing match and cash out.If he goes back MMA it won't be as big as UFC . So what's next only Francis knows?
@@wesleydiolata3467 Thats the point. Francis doesn't know. In the interview, Ariel asks him if he's sure the UFC have honoured their word and waived the right to match. Francis didn't know because he hadn't opened the email he recieved 2 days earlier. He literally said no boxing promoter has reached out to him yet, but he has had 'offers.' I seriously think he's around a bunch of people(and yet not a manager) that's steering him in the wrong direction. His highest value is the UFC and unfortunately they don't entertain cross promotion fights. Dana doesn't want his Heavyweight champion losing in a boxing bout. Pretty simple. He asked for every fighter to get health insurance all year round instead of just for injuries obtained during training camp or in the octagon. He asked for a 3 fight deal knowing dam well the UFC don't sign champions to deals less than 5 fights. Conor wouldn't even be able to get all year round healthcare for fighters in his prime. Ngannou might get a boxing bout but he's going to get pieced up, especially if it's against Fury in 4 ounce gloves. That's an easy pay day for Fury. After that his stock drops and he's wishing he could fight in the UFC for $8m. Especially after seeing the belt around Jones or Ganes waist, and see Stipe fight again. I feel bad for him because people around him are so intimidated by him and he just needs the right advice
@@DuelyusSeazer Very insightful and good points you just made.I think his a bit naive thinking he can do whatever he wants by himself no manager or representative lawyer's.Boxing still got they promotion and network they work with he will still have people telling him what to do his not Mayweather lol.But yeah his 37 years old this year I think so he needs to do something drastic to make that money back he lost in a UFC. But that's the thing nobody will know who is without UFC and Dana White.
@@DuelyusSeazer Let's see, shall we? Pretty sure he'll do fine. If not for the fact that just one or two heavyweight boxing fights would make him the kind money which would dwarf anything he could earn in an entire UFC career.
Francis is the man. All due respect to him for standing up for the fighters. Edit 1: To those saying that Francis isn’t a big draw, didn’t make UFC money, or is asking for more than what he deserves, ask yourself this question - if that was the case, why was the UFC willing to offer him $8m per fight for 3 fights straight? If you still come up with excuses to demean him, then you’re just haters.
LOL yeah turning down the highest offer in heavyweight history is definitley standing up for the fighters lol
@@paleo704 What are you talking about? He wanted more freedom for fighters always and stood by it
@@paleo704 Do you know how much a UFC heavyweight champion make ?
yeah he turned down 5 fight 40 million dollar deal, maybe he can get knocked out by Fury for 10 million and then go to Bellator
@@paleo704 Did you understand what you typed before you typed it? Because it seems like you didn’t.
Dude was stranded in a desert multiple times trying to escape poverty and he still pushed forward for a better life. I wish nothing but the best for this King and warrior. Eternal peace and love Ngannou - I hope you find success in anything you do.
I’m sure your wishes will have an impact
Drake - Gods Plan (One of UFC's most fitting entrances for Francis's last fight) LONG LIVE THE 🤴🙏
He should have stayed in the sand mines where he belongs....If everyone left the sand mines we would have no windows.....
I think I understand what you are saying but what it sounds like is that for anyone who ever get stuck in a desert it would be abnormal to try to better themselves. 😆
@@chalky_white most people in such a situation would be focused entirely on survival, which is understandable.
Francis Ngannou is a great representation of all the best human traits, and is a super athlete on top of it all. Love listening to him and glad he's feeling good about how his life is going. Looking forward to seeing him fight again, too.
He's a delusional businessman though. Fight for utopian ideals all you want, but the UFC just got Jon Jones back. Francis doesn't even have a manager, let alone any fights lined up or opponents worth watching. Who's he gonna fight? Ryan Bader? Noone cares. His real competition was in the UFC
@@DuelyusSeazer😂 it’s nice having no principles huh?
the man is a super athlete and a powerful genetic freak, while at the same time being very intelligent, compassionate and well spoken, im impressed by how fast Francis is improving his english, given he couldnt speak it at all few years back and its his third language
the fact that he asked for fighters to have healthcare as part of the negotiations just shows how great of a guy this man is.
His career is destroyed talking chet about the UFC. After he loses his boxing matches
Word. Francis out here presenting health care bills on the floor of the ufc lol
well he screwed up bcz noone back him up not even fellow African fighters had his back
Asking for something he knows the UFC isn't going to give him makes him a good guy? Lol
For a guy that didn't have a pen to do his school work. He is extremely articulate and wise. A lot of ppl are hating on him right. But I a ton of respect for him. Standing up for himself and trying to help the other fighters... I'm watching anything you do what ever it is
He is extremely smart, people dont see it because he is big and has accent. But he learned english during UFC, he learned to wrestle quickly after moving to USA he is underrated when it comes to his fight iq because big man hit hard.
@@spicesmuggler2452 agree 💯
I hope he has netted millions in his career so far or else not signing that type of contract the UFC gave him is kinda stupid.
@@4evahodlingdoge226 I'm sure he's set for life. He could probably make millions of sponsorships now to.
No respect at all for this clown 8 million dollars he got offered for 25 minutes that being a dumb mf his head is too big man any right person in there right mind set would take 8 million for 1 fight
A man of integrity. Well played Francis.
And no money. Hes dumb.
A man of integrity he says! 😂😂😂😂
@@Oldschool88888 lol u probably think dana has integrity
I don’t think he was playing anything up. Seemed genuine to me.
Why isn’t Francis talking about specific numbers??? Why is he so hesitant? He will be back at the UFC
Guys like Francis make you realize theirs still faith in humanity. Guy deserves everything he has and plenty more. Shoutout to ariel for asking all the right questions as always
They make you realize the world is full of dumb-dumbs like him
This interview was better than expected. Great job Ariel and Francis is an amazing human I wish him much success in the future.
Francis was my favorite fighter until now .. From now on he is also my favorite human being. What a guy!!
He really is a special person. No question about it.
Hilarious comment....get a life bro...
I'm only 15 minutes in and though I already had respect for Francis as a fighter and a man, but advocating for a fighter rep in meetings for ALL fighters has taken my admiration for him to the next level. I've said until the top fighters stop trying to individually secure their own big bag and come together and demand changes to better the deals for all fighters, Dana and the UFC will continue to puppet master and pay pennies.
It would be funny if the fighters hire Ariel to be their rep in the meetings.
@@alexcarrera1517 not that would be perfect lol Dana's head would explode 🤯
@@alexcarrera1517 I’d pay per view just to see that. Dana would be malding so bad.
@@alexcarrera1517 ha!
Yes they need to unionize
He wanted the right to sponsorships, health care and a fighters union. He is the people’s hero
Not really if they’re still not getting it
Francis has showed nothing but class through this whole thing !! Thanks Ariel for getting what we are all dying to hear !
He's showed class, but no brains. How you gonna leave the UFC with no manager, no plans for self-promotion in boxing, no relevant opponents in mma and then procrastinate opening your emails? Eddie Hearn hasn't contacted him and the PFL will never give Francis what he asked for at the UFC. The PFL and Bellator can't afford to give health insurance to every fighter on the roster
@@DuelyusSeazer did you listen to the interview?
@michaelcabrera2386 I guess you are watch a different video
@@akoms9946 no I think you guys are blinded by your hate of Dana and the UFC. He seemed like he had no plan and even ariel was getting nervous lmao
How’s he doing now huh? Still as well
You should be very proud of yourself Francis. That’s a lot of courage to do something like this. Strong inside and outside the cage.
Ariel, you're the real deal for staying firm to the craft, even in times when it makes everyone uncomfortable.
It blows my mind how much hate Ariel gets lol. He’s literally THE source for any ufc related news. But I guess that comes with being the biggest player.
Ariel is a good source and mma journalist but he’s dorky and weird sometimes. Yep. But not as much as the Schmo.
Ariel is the only one that asks and gets answers to the questions people want to know.. Dana bullies everyone else. I always stand up for Ariel to anyone that believes the UFCs BS about him.
Yeah he’s so great not challenging francis at all in this interview
@@kevinjurkiewicz9557 challenge him with/on what? Or the same way people challenge Dana..
How can you not root for this man . He got me into loving the sport . As a fan , the excitement before an Ngannou fight is unmatched
From the last set of interviews with Ariel I knew man was different. He is an incredible human being and to leave the largest fight sport company when £8m x3 is on the table because he wants to stand up for what he believes is amazing. I could listen to Francis for hours, he’s the most calming, pleasurable listen around. Ariel, well done, another knockout interview 👊
Francis has already accomplished tremendous things. Any future achievement is just a bonus. Much respect to the baddest man on the planet.
Scared of jones
@@ricardogarza7529 🤡
@Derek Keiser You're the real 🤡
Only person scared of Jones is his wife.
Him asking for health insurance for all fighters while negotiating his next fight… He is a good man.
Yeah, he's very concerned about the health of his fellow fighters when he drops bombs on their unconscious bodies before the ref pulls him off.
They already get treatment from the UFC they just need to go to Vegas to get it.
THE DEFINITION OF CLASS. Hats off to Mr. Ngannou! The Man, The Myth, The Legend🌍💯
Legendary move that will almost certainly never be replicated. Honorable dude, the warrior’s way.
GSP did a very similar thing.
I always liked Francis but looking out for the little guy and staying true to your humble beginnings is what I believe in. I’m a huge fan of him now. He’s in the trenches with them and that’s mad respect he’s not bigger than anyone
You are humble beginnings?
Hahaheee! That's hilarious
Francis Ngannou seems to have every fighters back against the UFC and few of them are willing to take a stand publicly with him, but he still understands that they can’t because of the consequences and doesn’t hold it against them. What a good human being. Hope whatever he does next just makes him happy the bloke deserves it after the life he’s lived.
Respect to Francis for standing up for people who wouldn't do the same for him
It’s not true
@@kevinjurkiewicz9557 ngga be fckg quiet
Just look how his “African Brothers” who were champs at the time left him hanging when he was going through contract disputes with the UFC. All three could have had some real leverage, but I didn’t see Izzy or Usman do anything.
@@calvinmiguel4405 Izzy and Usman have long contracts, so how would they have any leverage in that argument? The UFC would just force them to never fight again, while Ngannou has fought out his contract and can leave the UFC as a champ.
WTF? Francis is finished. He has no plan and no clue what to do next.
Never thought I'd listen to Ngannou for over an hour
Same
Calming smooth voice despite English being likely his 3rd language.
Africa is proud of you Francis and the world too. Total respect and love from Nigeria, in all the greatness nature has bestowed upon you, this is a new beginning, a next level to greatest heights and I believe in you like all your supporters. Get with it brother!! Peace and love.
Francis=integrity personified. Dude gave the ufc so much hype in his build up. All his ko’s, made them hella money and he profited a small amount, for what they profited from him. This man has already made more than he thought was possible in 5 lifetimes. He’s blessed. Some say he could make more in the ufc, but he doesn’t care. It’s about respect.
@@pinkribbonskies5731 doubtful
Thank you Ariel and MMA Fighting on SBN. You all are phenomenal.
What a genuine principled bloke, hope he gets his boxing fights, if anyone deserves it it's him
Agreed
Boxing promoters are no different than Dana White going in with no manager seems questionable
@@ponternal I agree, feel he defo needs a pure boxing coach/gym and manager. The waters of boxing are even murkier than MMA
Francis, you are an example and inspiration to so many! The world is a better place because of all you do! Wish you and yours all the best, now, and in the future!
So much respect for Francis. This guy is all class, no ego and has more character and integrity than Dana White could ever understand. Not one other fighter would do what he did. Not just walk away from millions for what he believes is right but to put himself on the line and take all the abuse the company can throw and continues to throw his way to stand up for fighters health and basic rights. Great fighter, incredible human being.
Man, Francis is a real-life role model! Following his heart and renouncing money. This interview made me think that a monumental change in UFC's structure on fighters' pay, well-being and rights is possible if other UFC champions or fighters with leverage follow his steps. Action is needed for those whose contracts are ending soon but also support for the other high roller fighters is needed. At the end of the day, all the things Francis is advocating will help EVERYONE either in the long or short term. The rest of the fighters do not need to take action right now. Only about 10 big names can initiate the change imo.
The fact that people think he's renouncing money when he clearly wants to go boxing Fury is laughable. Why are MMA peeps so dumb ?
@@garyleija hey buddy, your viewpoint is understood. But don't forget that you should treat ppl the way you want to be treated.
@@konstantinospantazis2624 soft🐑🤡
Y’all clueless. “At least this many out of the top blah blah blah” Here’s the legality of it: To start the process, you must file an election petition with your local NLRB office. Along with the petition, you will need to show that at least 30% of the employees support your election petition, which is usually done with authorization cards or a petition signed by your co-workers. AT LEAST 30%. There’s you number… idk why ya’ll, who have no experience in the matter, are like “imo, blah blah blah” 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
@@davidwilliamson8502 I love this comment! And thank you for the info. My only issue is that I only talked about the initial stage. The legal issues I'm sure you know better are far into the future.
If a sport ever needed a union/fighters association it’s time, fighters need to join together to change history right now.
Everytime fighters tried to unionize, UFC dismantled them by paying off the leading union members. This should not make them stop tho. UFC reminds me of the American government; people are not important, how much money can be extracted from them is.
There is a very reputable association in place that fighters can be a part of right now. MMAFA was establish by former MMA fighters.(Cung Le, Nate Quarry, Jon Fitch, Carlos Newton, etc.) Together these fighters launched the on-going UFC antitrust lawsuit. Because of this lawsuit, the UFC now has 5 year maximums for contract length in all contracts since July of 2017. That is how francis was able to escape his contract. They are also continuously trying to get congressmen to advocate for the Muhammad Ali Act to be expanded to ALL combat sports. Be on the look out for them. They are not in the spotlight, but they are making major changes.
@@majortom331 thank you for sharing that. very insightful. was not aware of that.
Imagine if the Jon Jones fight bombed and another league lined up Francis vs Lesnar. If there was ever a time for another league to takeover, this would be it. Another league that offers a union would be game changing and would actually be good for the sport. No parents want their teens dreaming of being in the UFC when there's not even a union.
@@dotterel bruh unless you’re really really good you shouldn’t dream about being a fighter
Some people think because you do not speak their language perfectly, you are not smart enough. Listening to Francis, even with his broken English, you realize the kind of human being and how intelligent he is. It feels good to see him happy and in peace with his decision. I really hope for his full recovery. I am sure he will get the bag he deserves very very soon. Thanks, Francis, for your great fights at UFC, you are a great role model for many young people around the world. Looking forward to the next chapter in your career.
Exactly! Around min 52 talking about potential future fights he said he will depend on the "landscape at that time", that's noy just speaking English that's refine talking. Many native English speakers would not even know to use the word in this context.
Broken English? Honestly, I think this guy speaks quite well. Respecting the grammar way better than ton of British prople. The accent does not determine how good you speak a language. The way you structure the phrases and the words you use, it is the key to determine how good you Master a language.
@@simga849 Exactly. Many people confuse having an accent with not knowing how to speak a language when they have nothing to do with each other.
UFC and all the noises might leave you behind Francis but we as a big Fans will never leave you alone no matter what happens, keep struggling good luck Champ! 🇨🇲💪🏻💯
Francis, you are incredible. Much respect to you.
Francis is a real one!!!!! actually went out on his sword asking for what every fighter whinges about not just for himself but for everyone... what a G
Honorable man doing a honorable thing. You deserve everything you’re asking for Francis. Thank you for this Ariel.
How do you beat a person who's ready to lose everything? This guy is unstoppable in life. Principal over money
Principle However, it may be true that a school principal does take precedent over money.
Not ready to lose its nothing to lose
Francis kept it real in this interview! Big respect, the man deserves better.
Yep, he does deserve better and according to him, so do all other MMA fighters. Mad respect to Francis Ngannou!
A great man has left the UFC. I will miss him so much. But, I will watch Francis Ngannou and always root for his success! I'll keep my fingers 🤞 wishing later on the UFC will apologize and make a huge offer to Francis to return for 3 fights. For us fans. That would be so cool!
This helps so much because of the fact that nobody knows what goes behind the curtains. he's not wrong on what he's asking for, and he literally say " I don't expect to get all but at least one or two "
I was waiting for him to thank the UFC, and he did, which shows his character! 👏
Dana and fans have always said if you don’t like what you’re getting paid, leave because no one is forcing you to sign a contract, but ever since Francis left, it’s been nothing but comments on him being afraid and a fake champion.
Plus the only reason he was able to fight out the contract was because of the anti trust lawsuit against the UFC and they changed it a few years ago. There used to be a champion clause where it renewed 3 fights or a year but now due to the lawsuit there’s a “sunset clause” which basically means after your fights are all fought out and 5 years has passed the contract ends.
These are all hollow talks by Dana. If that was the case he wouldn’t lock the fighters in one sided contracts. Francis has shown what a real warrior is like and has started a movement. It’s upto the other fighters to prove they’re the warriors outside cage as they are inside the octagon and pick up his mantle.
@@MuneebBhat it's a business. Its in his interest to do whats best for ufc. Why would they want him go start having boxing fightd whilst in the ufc doesnt make sense. He's not beating anyone top in boxing. He gets schooled by Fury or KOd in boxing it hurts his reputation and ufc if he was contracted to them
Because Dana said he refused the highest paid heavyweight contract. Seems like Francis didnt believe that. Ohh and btw Lesnar has so many PPV records that Francis would never touch. But yeah Dana is talking out of hes ass but one thing he said was true. Francis could get paid more fighting lesser competition or in boxing. Maybe the UFC couldnt offer him more or the terms he was asking for because if they do that then for the future every big star would start demanding things and treathning to leave. Thats what i think.
@@CptFoot. do you think boxers signed to pbc or top rank can just up and go have a mma fight
Go Francis! Much respect for standing up for himself.
Not just himself but all UFC fighters. Class act.
This is really a bigger stuff up than Dana smacking his wife, thats his business, this is ours
@@kornandfoofighters how much do you want to bet that you've never bought a francis ppv ? It's sad but he barely sells. This comment section should support him next time lmao
@@luibond9418 Plus only a casual like you would truly think ppv goes into their pockets, your buying dana a new wardrobe buying ppv at this point, their bottom line is covered, ppv points is a company way to hold fighters down, how about the match makers make 0 money and the fighters make it all, even prelims? No matter what you say youre spitting out some corporate nonsense you phat deck suckka
@@luibond9418 And its not just pay you dropkick, its healthcare, its the freedom to cross promote, this all some rich kid wanting his toys, theyre the only company that knows they will be outed as not the "top" anymore, they have signed too much fluff, they certainly now dont have the best top 2 heavy divisions? We suffer from UFCs lack of wanting to play ball its not about the sport its about farming fighters now
I have been working with Cameroonians for a long time now. These guys always carry themselves with full confidence with just faith in themselves and the future. Nganou is the impersonation of that rare fighting spirit. Smart, loyal to his own goals no matter what, honest and gentle. Just watching this gives you an idea of how difficult it would be to govern there and how easy it is too. What they want is a fair deal and everything will be OK.
@Josh Rogan no, but they do have a local specific regional culture. It's hyperbole. Take a breath, man
@@JoshRogan12 uh oh did the lil whiteboy get offended by that??
😂😂 NOPE Francis messed up on this in a year welll come back to this
You mean personification
@@brisketwhisper1251he messed up because he stood up against his bully?
"I can do it, I know what I want". The emperor has spoken.
Francis didn't have a long title reign but he cleaned out the division in a way we have never seen before. He may not have the championship record that some of these other guys have but for somebody that came late to the sport, you couldn't reasonably expect him to have done any more for his legacy than what he did.
Good job Ariel. A TRUE JOURNALIST IN EVERY SENSE 💯. Got the man everyone is wanting to hear from!!
As much as I want to wine about how he held up the division i completely understand why he did it, and i think Francis is proud of what he has done in the sport, one of the best heavyweights ever!
You dont understand much if you think he was holding up the division. UFC made it look that way because they want to control their fighters. Second time he was accused of holding up the division it was because he was injured.
He fought with missing ligaments less than a year ago. Biggest legend in the sport right now.
He didn't hold up the division. The UFC did. They didn't offer him any fights to starve him of money and get him desperate to sign an unfavorable contract. Meanwhile they get Cyril to fight 3 times in a year to catapult him to a title shot hoping Cyril takes the championship strap from Francis.
@@jokersmith9096 You cant even prove what you just stated.
@@abeeftec the proof is when the UFC made the BS decision to make an interim title, after Ngannou said he needed an extra month to prepare for his fight against derrick lewis. They didnt even try to make a concession for their Heavyweight champion. Pure disrespect. Another instance being that they ghosted Francis after the first Stipe fight. The lack of communication when fighters NEED fights is appalling.
Francis is very honest man! A big respect to him!
Good for Francis standing up for what he believes it right and looking put for his and other fighters best interests. Especially after all he has been through so far in his life. I wish Francis Ngannou all the best in his future endeavours. Also good for Ariel on getting the exclusive interview with Francis. He is the Goat of mma reporters after all!
When Ngannou said that he was still struggling with the English language when he said "get the jet ready" I believe him. I am married to a Filipino and when I brought her to this country she got the meaning of words and phrases crossed quite often. Our first year of marriage was a giant misunderstanding. I get Francis.
No no he couldn’t speak English but he meant what he said. Dana just took it out of the context they it was supposed to be and Francis took some responsibility for the miscommunication by referencing his English
@@beamgroup7464 Yes he meant what he said but he didn't know the various meanings that could be implied. I know because I live through it with my wife and I became more understanding with others who are new to the language.
Amazing interview - great opportunity for Francis to get his side of the story out, show that he is a class act, and advocate for the fighters in the business. True journalism at work.
Excited to see what’s next for Francis - His life’s journey - nothing short of Amazing! - RESPECT!!!!! 👊
he is so humble and sweet yet so powerful... such a good man. i will watch whever he go and i hope he gets what he think he deserves
A true pioneer. Becoming champion and stepping down because of the bad business practices of the UFC.
Whether business? He was to become one of the highest ever paid mma fighters when He barely sells 200k log at a time! He wants something no one has ever had and that's to go box! Only Conor had that and that was to sell the company. Also boxers are tied to one promotion so him thinking he is going to bounce about fighting all the top names is ridiculous! He will get embarrassed in boxing by anyone half good and then no one will want to see it again. Then he will be fighting no names in a lesser promotion with even less fans, ask cyborg how that worked out. If he lands a big boxing fight then he's be will earn great money but that's it for him, legacy finished. Rather become the highest paid mms heavyweight, earn 15mil a fight and make a tonne in the back end with endorsements. It gets too a point where his much money is enough if you wreck your legacy and when you could of earned the same if not more by doing it slow and steady in mma and become a legend! Plus mma is overtaking boxing and will be bigger in 5 or so years! Francis looks lost here.
He is a scared chicken. Ran away to save his crippled knees after seeing JJ coming 😂
@@MarkWalmsley francis is a pioneer he’s legacy is already written so it’s crazy to say that’s it and even if it was like I said he has a legacy already. He wanted to box after his 3 fight deal and he’s not wrong for that the Ufc business structure is crippled, they aren’t employed by the ufc and fight only when they are booked which makes them prize fighters but ufc want the fighters tied down to contracts but aren’t employees? Make it make sense.
@@brandonf7236UFC worshippers need to hear the facts!
what did francis pioneered exactly?
Francis is one of the most inspirational guys around. If I saw his story in a movie I would think it was stupid because it would seem too far-fetched.
😂😂😂😂😂
That an athlete can from absolutely nothing and became champion?
Hahahee! His story is nothing new......
He'll have a movie eventually.
@@SNAFU.. Lot of weird replies to this comment. I'm going to assume you don't actually know his story. Just the simple fact he didn't even know what MMA was until 2013 and was fighting for the heavyweight belt in 2018 is enough to make the story far-fetched. Now you add in the fact he decided at 26 to go to Paris from Cameroon to box. It took him 14 months to get to Paris. He went from Cameroon to Nigeria, Nigeria to Niger, Niger to Algeria, Algeria to Morocco, Morocco to Spain where he was jailed for two months for crossing illegally and once he eventually got to Paris he literally had NO money and was sleeping in the street and random parking garages. I've never seen or heard a story like that before from a champion.
Awesome interview. Francis is pure class. Really wish him all the best and every success for the future!
The Undisputed Heavyweight World Champion and Actually a True Champion of The World. In every sense of the meaning. Francis is one of the Greatest inspirations for anyone and everyone, everywhere. Thank you Sir. Excellent work, once again Ariel!
It's sad that also the last African King is gone now. Usman , Adesanya and Nganu what an era it was 🙌
I genuinely think this is gonna backfire so bad
Already not aging well 😂 everyone calling out Ariel on his new Francis vid in the comments.
@@JJS595 nobody wanted to listen 🤣
Good prediction my man
@@XShollaj good?
@@JJS595 it didnt?
So happy to see Francis so at peace with his decision... All the best to his future endeavours 🙌 And respect to Ariel for this special insightful interview
I don't even think he understands how bad is can get; having no manager at a time like this is a big red flag
It’s refreshing to hear this man talk, Francis stay humble and prosper brother. 😊
God bless this guy!!! Hope he makes a boxing highlight very soon, deserves all the best!!! True WARRIOR
I love Francis like he is my family member and i have never met him. Best of luck my G and respect for having the courage to stand up against a huge empire like the UFC and stand behind your principles. Thanks Ariel and his team as well for this interview
Get a grip.
@@Norm_E_Boomur what
@@Norm_E_Boomur what does that mean here?
Ignore the loser, it's Dana
That Mike Tyson Podcast really changed Francis’ mindset and I love it
And don't forget Francis is the only man to yell at Mike Tyson and live 🤣🤣🤣
You cant sway a guy living on the street most of his life with 10 million instead of 2 million. 2 million is enough for anybody with humble beginnings.
Am very happy for Francis, you can see his happy and still wants to be with the UFC. Men see respect as love, UFC respect this man and see him ride with you.
We need more people like Francis in this world. Fantastic human. And…there’s a reason he chose Ariel for this. Ariel is all class and a pro. Cant wait to see Francis’ future play out.
$helwani$ completely stitched ngannou up in this interview. He should of ended it after 5mins if he cared about fighters.
Yaa, bum Arial makes money because of UFC.
Nigerian hustler scum in real life.. master manipulater
How are you guys so unaware of what's happening? Ariel is using ngannou to stick it to the ufc. Ngannou has no idea what he's doing listen to his words. And Ariel knows this and he doesn't care as long as he gets to push his schtick
@@PozzaPizz exactly that’s the only reason Ariel is doing it he is just trying to stick it to the UFC over and over
Gonna miss Francis, seems like a good dude. People online point at his PPV numbers and say he is unlikable but reality is UFC never truly committed to a push for him. UFC has pushed lesser skilled fighters to the top, Dana just couldn’t stomach doing it for a guy like Francis for whatever reason. Hopefully, he’s back in combat sports soon so he can be pushed like the beast he is.
It's because he doesn't act like a cartoon character. It's hard to market a guy who doesn't have some WWE type pantomime persona
They did in 2017. Before stipe 1
They pushed him hard before the first title fight, to the point it was noticeably disrespecting to Stipe, that's why after Stipe beat Francis he didn't let Dana put the belt around his waist. After that, Francis fought Derrick in a dud of a fight and his stock went down, so maybe the UFC didn't feel confident that he would get past Stipe or DC at that time
I agree. The ufc has gotten so big because of clown like antics and behavior from fighters like Conner and a few others that draw new fans to the sport that aren’t true fight fans but rather fans of the antics these fighters bring to sell ppv. So in other words the UFC is starting to turn its ugly head into the WWE. It’s sad really.
the ufc does its best to conceal the ppv numbers, so we can't even use the numbers that we see as anything. like you said, they have their favorites and francis stopped being one of them when he lost to stipe (who was only...you know...the greatest heavyweight in ufc history lol)
Francis has such a honest genuine smile. All the best to you and BRAVO for standing your ground!
What a absolute legend Francis is 👏
i love that Ngannou passed on the UFC on principle even though they offered him tons of money. the fact that the UFC doesn't provide health insurance is insane considering the type of activity they do.
Agreed, insane. They will eventually switch as more ex fighters die young and more sad stories come out.
Instead they are thinking of inflicting more brain damage to peoe without health insurance with that power slap nonsense
well, if you know from the beginning in the contract there will be no health insurance and you really concern about that, then don't sign the contract with UFC It's a business. And no one is forced to sign their contract to UFC
@@tesuser8173 which is exactly what ngannou just did...
Love to see fighters playing by their own rules and succeeding.
Succeeding? What did he succeed at? He's unemployed, and he is unwilling to acknowledge that he needs some type of representation when going into negotiations.
@@stitch438 freedom is more important then working as a slave...its all perspective , ask gsp, silva etc etc etc randy the list goes on what they think off this evil khazirian mafia ufc brass
Which fighters "play by their own rules?" Even in boxing you are tied to a specific promotion!
@@MarkWalmsley Not necessarily ! U can do one fight deals and also do it independently. And NO u don't need to be top 3 pound for pound But u need to be popular enough Obviously
@@Mr4noone1 Who has signed one fight deal in boxing ? Why a promoter will promote you for 1 fight ? What will the promoter gain? Lol dumbo
I was never a fan of Ngannou, but man... this attitude. He's the real G. Not everyone has got balls to break those chains. He did it, and I wish him luck.
Francis has had a crazy journey and it doesn't stop.
Whatever Francis does I’ll be watching and supporting. Even thru a screen you can see the good person in him. I wish him nothing but the best.
I bet you Francis never has a single PPV boxing match.
Love Francis, he is a man of immense integrity. Class act warrior! He came from nothing and cannot be bought. Great interview Ariel! I subscribed with this one! Well done brother!
Amazing Interview with an inspirational athlete that has earned every inch of my respect. Such a beast and warrior with so much love in his heart. You are one special individual and You have secured a fan for life. Go out there and conquer all your heart desires. You are and always will be one massive loss for the UFC and champions like you don't need to always submit to unjust treatment. The pure fact that this was done not just for you, but for MMA in general says so much about you. Take Care dear friend & greetings from Africa.
Anyone who fights in and out of the ring/octagon is the GOAT. Wishing all the best for Ngannou.
Now that he’s left the UFC, I would love to hear Francis sing ‘somewhere over the rainbow ’ in his soft sweet voice. 😍
Only Fans: Predator Edition
After every storm A good time comes Francis what a man ✌️
Francis has the biggest heart man. Shame on the UFC - actually disgusting what they are pulling off. I hope a union forms within the next 5 years at least.
Francis seems like a really kind person. I wish him all the best in the future, and I can't wait to see him fight again.
Hahaheee..."seems" ????
Ariel & Francis thank you so much this was a very good interview lots of info packed into that little bit, there was no one else that could’ve brought us Francis like this excellent stuff much appreciated!!
Watched this though it was a very good interview and Francis was very well spoken and said what he believed. Watched a Chael video and the comments were beyond ridiculous. Had to come back and say thank you for giving fighters the opportunity to speak how they feel in there own words.
Wow. Francis - you are about as real and authentic as it gets. A true inspiration, with both your actions and your words.
“I knew it couldn’t happen but i asked” what a bro man 😭🤧
Francis is a good man you tell he came from something not a lot of people have and not many would survive much respect to his decisions and hopes for his future now to show a little from ufc point of view he’s always been a very inactive fighter in the ufc and definitely one of the highest paid
Your analysis is so clear and understanding, with no emotional feelings attached to it . Great job much love
Shout out to Francis’s, he put it all on the line for follow fighters benefits, hopefully fighters wake up
That is the dumbest thing he could have done those fighters aren’t complaining and that has nothing to do with him
@@magalife4521 complain or not it still would of benefited fighters to have proper healthcare and funds from sponsors. It would of been a huge step in the right direction for mma if the ufc implemented this. Either way Francis is good, there’s so much more outside the ufc especially that heavyweight division there’s only few legit contenders there Gane, aspinal the top guys are getting old stipe, Jon jones included. Money won’t be an issue forsure. He has a lot of options that ufc fighters don’t have
@@magalife4521 those fighters are all complaining
Phenomenal work as always, Ariel. After the “being known as this is punishment enough” line I’m no longer purchasing PPVs or watching fight nights until Dana is gone. I will be paying for Francis’ fights from now until the end of time.
Lol good luck with that
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 ok
@@Estroogen yeah dana white slapwife privilege
@@nmdc93 yeah dana white slapwife privilege
@@nmdc93 It’s honestly not that hard. I used to be a watch every card from the first prelim to main event guy. My interest has waned but I’d still tune in once or twice a month. However, the hypocrisy and exploitation of fighters has become too much. They’ve cut fighters for hitting their partners, committing crimes, multiple PED violations and so on. How come they never got the “they’ll be known as a woman beater/criminal/PED cheat and that’s punishment enough” treatment? And just to clarify before people mistake my words, I think those cuts were the right choice and they should not be given the “they’ll be known as (insert negative thing here)” punishment. All of that, plus fighter pay and exploitation, makes it very easy to walk away.