What is the legacy of Francis Ngannou?
Tomorrow night Francis Ngannou will face off with Renan Ferreira as the main event of PFL: Super Fights. At 38 years old, we’ve had more of Ngannou than we will have in the future. A former UFC heavyweight champion and the MMA lineal champion, the legacy left behind for “The Predator” will be more than just “MMA’s Mike Tyson.”
Whats been the change to the landscape of fighting from Ngannou? How will the late stage of his career change the sport we all love?
More than just a highlight reel
It’s tantalizing to say the performances in the cage are the performances of Francis Ngannou. The Alistair Overeem beheading, the Stipe Miocic win, Curtis Blaydes, the list goes on. Heck it’s even more than the knockdown and moral win over Tyson Fury in his first boxing bout.
Francis Ngannou did not bow to the UFC brass, its marketing machine, and its bullying tactics. Upon exiting the promotion after his win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270, it was clear the relationship between Ngannou and the UFC was over. In stepped PFL, the perennial number two promotion in mixed martial arts, especially after their acquisition of Bellator.
It’s Ngannou’s middle finger to the establishment that will go down as his legacy to changing the paradigm of the sport and making people realize that there’s more than just fights inside the UFC.
Francis Ngannou boxing and growing
The biggest moments for Francis Ngannou were absolutely his boxing bouts with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Supposed to be ran out of the ring with his tail between his legs, Ngannou won the story of his fight with then-lineal champion Tyson Fury.
In round three, he knocked down “The Gypsy King” and looked to be on his way to the knockout that we all hoped was inevitable. Unfortunately, Fury would go on to win a split decision. But all was good.
Francis Ngannou made $10 million in his boxing debut.
Instead of returning to MMA, he would then take on Anthony Joshua. That fight was more in line with what fans thought was to come against Tyson Fury. Joshua finished Ngannou in the second round with a spectacular knockout.
But that wasn’t the point.
Francis Ngannou made $20 million against Anthony Joshua.
Now with $30 million in purses from his last two fights, Ngannou was set for his next stage.
Growing the sport outside of the UFC
From Cameroon, Francis Ngannou has a major soft spot for his home continent of Africa. Upon joining the PFL, it was announced that the promotion would open a league in Africa and Ngannou would chair the new league. That league launches in 2025.
With the consolidation of PFL and Bellator, the promotion has an embarrassment of riches. Magomed Magomedkerimov, Cris Cyborg, Vadim Nemkov, Brendan Loughnane, and more, the promotion is working on several big name signings and future proofing the promotion. Think Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul for the big names and Cedric Doumbe Baki Chamsoudinov for the later.
But Francis Ngannou is the cornerstone of this. He is the best heavyweight in the world and mad off from the sport’s largest promotion with the lineal title, something that’s not made a big deal in MMA as it has with boxing so far. But this story has happened before.
Fedor Emelianenko was once the lynchpin of Strikeforce, the UFC’s main competition of late 2000’s. Ngannou will serve the same role for PFL.
People know he’s the real champion. He knows he is the best in the world. This will bring all eyes to PFL as the UFC looks for a new broadcast deal ahead of the ESPN deal expiring in 2025.
A second promotion that’s a real threat to the UFC is good for the fans. It is for the fighters. The PFL is a country mile and a few decades away from the UFC on brand recognition. But Francis Ngannou’s fight with Renan Ferreira this weekend is the next step towards that goal.
