The sun set on Francis Ngannou’s UFC contract last year which mean that 2023 he was a free agent. He signed on with the Professional Fighters League in May 20223.
Via PFL press release:
Under the partnership, Ngannou will fight exclusively in MMA for the PFL’s new PPV Super Fight Division, joining combat sports superstars Jake Paul and Kayla Harrison. The Super Fight Division was launched to revamp the antiquated business model of MMA and to forge true economic partnerships with the sport’s top stars to compete in global mega events, offering 50% of the revenue from the PPV fights. Ngannou will make his PFL PPV Super Fight debut in mid-2024 against a major global MMA star fighter to be chosen in the future. DAZN is a partner of PFL’s Super Fight Division and will distribute events on its PPV platform in Europe and other priority international markets.
The PFL Global Advisory Board has been established for the league to closely collaborate with the greatest athletes and minds in the sport of MMA to ensure the PFL stays focused on its fighters-first mission, combined with recruiting and developing future global champions. As part of the strategic partnership with the PFL, Ngannou will serve in a leadership role on the PFL Global Advisory Board, making him the first active fighter to serve on the board and represent fighters’ interests.
As noted by Bloody Elbow’s John Nash, the deal included a non-exclusive contract to allow him to compete in professional boxing. In October, Ngannou fought Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury and knocked Fury down. While he lost the bout, his showing was good enough to garner respect to get him ranked by the WBC. As of this writing, he has yet to fight for the PFL in MMA. He is expected to be on the PPV for the PFL in 2024. But, with his success this past October against Fury, he may be in the squared circle again before the PFL cage.
Notably, Ngannou had talks with ONE Championship but his asking price was probably too much for the company.
The PFL deal includes several sweeteners the former UFC Champion would never have had in the promotion which includes a split of event net profits, a minimum salary guarantee for his opponent and a “high 7-figure” purse for each MMA fight. He also would serve as a brand ambassador for the PFL.
What may not happen for a while is a showdown with Jon Jones. And the video of Jones and Ngannou exchanging pleasantries during a PFL event made the rounds.
The significance of the Ngannou deal was that it broke the mold that the UFC was the place to make money. Instead of succumbing to the UFC strong-arm tactics, he and his management held his own in allowing his contract to lapse. Ngannou bet on himself. His ability, self-worth and drawing power to break free from the UFC bubble and attempt to make elsewhere. While Ngannou’s footprint cannot be emulated by any professional MMA fighter, he did show that those special fighters out there can carve their own path in the sport and industry.
Leave a Reply