PFL interested in Francis Ngannou: “We’ll definitely sit down and talk”
UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is still under contract with the promotion, but as contract negotiations continue to pan out, questions linger as to whether the Cameroonian will remain with the promotion for the long haul.
Ngannou, who has expressed interest in boxing against Tyson Fury, is currently rehabbing a knee injury that required surgery. Despite the setback that will keep him on the shelf for a while, it is his frustrations with pay that are preventing Ngannou from working a new deal.
According to the champion, his current contract with the UFC expires in December. Ngannou is coming off a successful title defense over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January.
Ngannou’s interest in boxing seems to be one of the biggest blockades at the moment as UFC President Dana White has publicly stated that he is not interested in his champion making that move. Ngannou is not yet a free agent and legally unable to pursue contracts elsewhere, but that didn’t stop PFL President Ray Sefo stating that his promotion would be interested in the heavyweight fighter should things open up down the road.
“100 percent,” Sefo told Hosheh MMA. “If Francis is a free agent — Francis is my teammate [at Xtreme Couture], you know? So, when he becomes a free agent and he’s allowed to talk to anybody in terms of — should I say when he’s ‘shopping’ — then we’ll definitely sit down and talk. Until then I don’t see him going anywhere, but anything’s possible, 100 percent. [50/50 pay-per-view (PPV) shares will attract all sorts], absolutely. That’s the key.”
We covered so much with Ray. His thoughts on our region, the upcoming PPV event, free agents, and so much more, stay tuned for the full interview coming out soon. A fun interview with a man who really does care about his fighters @francis_ngannou @PFLMMA @SugarRaySefo #pfl #mma pic.twitter.com/U1tS0LBAxk
— Hosheh MMA (@HoshehMma) May 28, 2022
What do you think fight fans? Will Francis Ngannou re-sign with the UFC or will he take his talents elsewhere?
