It seems Dana White hasn’t changed his mind about Francis Ngannou’s return to MMA. Neither is he easing up on his departure from UFC nor the scope of fighting Jon Jones. As far as MMA “what-ifs” and missed opportunities go, that was a big one. But the UFC bossman is missing no opportunity to poke at that particular bear.
It’s been just days after red-hot free agency signing and rival PFL debutant Ngannou (18-3) grounded and pounded out Renan Ferreira. This was at last weekend’s “Battle of the Giants” pay-per-view (PPV) event (read fight highlights). White fielded talks about the fight during Thursday’s Power Slap 9 post-fight press conference. A nonchalant White could care less about anything but what he had to say about it. He added additional details about cutting ‘Predator’ off the map.
I was going to cut Francis when he lost two in a row, …I was going to cut him. Somebody around here begged me not to do it. It wouldn’t have mattered to me one way or the other. There’s a much deeper story to this whole thing. He would’ve made more money if he would’ve stayed in the UFC. He didn’t want to fight Jon Jones. That’s a fact, my friend. We’re moving on.
Dana White during Power Slap 9 post-fight press conference; H/T: SBNation Network
White’s claims that Ngannou is out of the UFC to avoid a fight with Jones are nothing new. However, the UFC CEO did throw in more spice to it. White said he wanted to cut the future UFC heavyweight champion after consecutive losses to Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis. Of course, those days are gone; Ngannou was an ex-UFC lineal heavyweight champ when he took his out. His asterisk is hardly under risk.
“I was going to cut Francis when he lost two in a row. Somebody around here begged me not to do it.”
Dana White hurls another round of criticism at Francis Ngannou and is not interested in a fight vs. Jon Jones. pic.twitter.com/IZjeNgq06M
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) October 24, 2024
The Cameroonian’s departure from the UFC in 2023 was an unprecedented move. He relinquished the promotion’s 265-pound title to enter free agency. Ngannou made lucrative boxing crossover bouts against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua before his MMA return on Saturday in Saudi Arabia. However, White will always burst into his bubble of success with certain claims.
Dana White: Francis Ngannou didn’t want ‘Bones’ to pick, left UFC to avoid a loss
Francis Ngannou is one of those mainstay names that makes its way through all junctions. The French Cameroonian pocketed a bank of $30 million in crossover pro boxing. He even trained under the tutelage of heavyweight boxing icon Mike Tyson for a period and found success. Along with Helios Sports & Entertainment Group, Ngannou will chair the PFL Africa Regional League next year.
This will be somewhere around Q1-Q2 of 2025, in conjunction with PFL MENA and others. As a member of the Global Athlete Advisory Board and chair of PFL Africa Division, the fighter will promote prime changes and inspire others. But, how much ever inspiring and larger than life Francis Ngannou can get, jittery ex-boss Dana White can pull him down.
[It was] was better than Donn Davis’ – way better, …[chuckles]…Listen, man, I’m going to tell you what I think about Francis: Francis is all about the money. Francis left because he knew if he fought Jon Jones and didn’t win, it would hurt his chances of making the money…But realistically his deal was bigger here…if he stayed in the UFC…Why the fu*k would I lie? What do I care? It doesn’t matter to me one way or the other.
Dana White further said during Power Slap 9 post-fight press conference
Ngannou took his out and opted for free agency as an independent sports contractor after failed contractual rehashing. Meanwhile, Jones sat out for three years when the negotiations for this mega fight failed. He returned to capture the vacant 265-pound belt after his exit. However, White has floated that he didn’t really find a bigger model of success elsewhere and had enough of a lucrative contractual hashing to pay handsomely and face ‘Bones’.
Moreover, he floats that Ngannou was afraid to face Jones. Because once he lost to the G.O.A.T., he couldn’t money-hog the fight bonus and pay-per-view points out of it. The ginormous PFL: Battle of the Giants (DAZN/ESPN+) pay-per-view headliner proved otherwise about his mettle. But White still puts his eggs in this particular basket.
