Francis Ngannou has signed a mammoth deal with UFC rivals the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in a historic move for MMA.
The former UFC heavyweight champion left the company back in January as he was unable to agree terms with Dana White.
Months of speculation persisted over the future of Ngannou and where he would land in the combat sports world.
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Overnight, it was announced he had officially signed for the PFL, the same promotion that has Jake Paul under its books.
The details have now emerged on the deal which is being called ‘the most valuable MMA deal for a single fighter’.
According to MMA reporter Aaron Bronsteter, the Cameroon-born fighter will be fighting exclusively in MMA for the PFL’s PPV Super Fight Division beginning in mid-2024.
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This means he has the next year to have a tune-up fight in boxing in hopes of taking on Deontay Wilder in 2024.
The heavyweight did an interview on The DAZN MMA Show, in which he revealed he had been in talks with Floyd Mayweather’s Money Team.
He also explained that if it was up to him, his next opponent in boxing would be Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder.
Ngannou has been a big advocate for increasing fighter pay, an apparent stickling point in his negotiations with UFC.
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And he’s turned that advocacy into a reality, with PFL now offering to pay Ngannou’s would-be opponents a minimum puse of $2 million.
The Predator told DAZN that he wanted his opponents to be paid what they deserve - wanting the best possible opponents in the process.
Of course, Ngannou will be earning more than his opponents, explaining that his deal with PFL ‘is more than anyone else offered’. And we know the UFC offered him the largest pay for any fighter in history.
Perhaps even more important than money in this deal is the fact that the 17-3 fighter will now sit on the PFL’s Global Advisory Board to represent the interest of active fighters.
On top of that, he will be an equity owner and chairman for PFL Africa as the promotion looks to push on with shows and business opportunities in the content.
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Ngannou says that PFL Africa is the part of the deal that gets him most pumped as he aims to help build the sport in that region.
The African also admitted that he’d still be down to fight Jon Jones if the fight could ever be made.
We’d love to see it happen.
Huge news across the board in a deal that could change the MMA world completely.
Topics: Francis Ngannou, MMA, UFC
Jayden Collins