Francis Ngannou, Ex-UFC Heavyweight, Signs PFL Contract

Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou, once a star in the UFC, put his pen to paper with a PFL (Professional Fighters League) contract. He will be hoping to remain among the ranks of the world’s best heavyweight mixed martial artists.

Francis Ngannou Switches From UFC To PFL

Francis Ngannou, who is now 36, had been the heavyweight champion of the UFC when talks of another contract with the most popular platform for MMA broke down. The reason was that the fighter from Cameroon’s demands for personal sponsorships and health insurance were not accepted by the UFC. In January, Dana White, the President of the UFC, stripped the belt from Francis Ngannou.

On May 16th, Ngannou’s camp announced that the fighter will perform exclusively for the division of super fight which is also pay-per-view. Other details about the PFL contract have not been revealed. Francis Ngannou’s expected PFL debut should happen somewhere around the middle of 2024.

Ngannou who has a record of 17 wins and 3 losses will also be one of the leaders on the global advisory board of the PFL. Furthermore, for PFL Africa, he will be an equity owner and the chairman. In his statement, Francis Ngannou said that he believed in the culture of “fighter first” that is practiced in the PFL. He also supports the platform’s global vision such as promoting the sport’s development in Africa.

Peter Murray, the CEO of the PFL, explained that the platform had begun talking with Ngannou when the fighter was not encumbered anymore. As such, he expects an important role for Ngannou especially regarding the global expansion that the company has planned. In a statement given to the Associated Press, Murray admitted that Francis Ngannou has every intention to keep boxing and the platform will not obstruct that desire.