Dana White almost lower Francis Ngannou from the UFC years earlier than he left of his own volition.
Earlier this month, Ngannou made his long-awaited return to MMA, knocking out Renan Ferreira within the first spherical of their heavyweight matchup at PFL: Battle of the Giants. The combat was Ngannou’s first since leaving the UFC as heavyweight champion in 2023 and re-ignited a simmering feud between the 38-year-old fighter and his former boss.
The idea of the dispute between White and Ngannou is a part of the rationale why “The Predator” selected to not re-sign with the UFC based mostly on the phrases that had been supplied. Throughout a Energy Slap press convention on Thursday, White doubled down on his declaration that Ngannou may have made more cash staying within the UFC, however this time added a brand new wrinkle: He truly needed to chop Ngannou from the promotion in 2018.
“Francis is all concerning the cash,” White mentioned. “Francis left as a result of he knew that if he fought Jon Jones and didn’t win, it might harm his probabilities of making the cash that he needed to make. However realistically, his deal was greater right here. His deal was greater right here if he stayed within the UFC. … They will deny all of it they need, why the f*ck would I lie? Why do I care? It doesn’t matter to me come what may.
“I used to be going to chop Francis when he misplaced two in a row. I used to be going to chop him. Any person round right here begged me to not do it. So it wouldn’t have mattered to me, come what may. There’s a a lot deeper story to this entire factor and he would have made more cash if he stayed within the UFC.”
Ngannou dropped back-to-back fights in 2018, falling to Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title of their first encounter after which shedding a call to Derrick Lewis six months later in a combat extensively thought of to be one of many worst in trendy UFC historical past.
After all after these losses, Ngannou went on his present run, stringing collectively 4 first-round knockouts to earn a second crack at Miocic. He gained the rematch by way of second-round knockout to say the UFC heavyweight title.
Ngannou then defended his title in opposition to Ciryl Gane and whereas many followers hoped he would return to the promotion for a showdown in opposition to Jon Jones, he opted to signal with the PFL in free company.
For White, that was the top of his concentrate on Ngannou.
“He didn’t wish to combat Jon Jones, that’s a reality, and we’re transferring on,” White mentioned. “Clearly, all people loves Tom Aspinall and needs to see Jones and Aspinall, or Stipe and Aspinall. I really feel like when Stipe and Jon had been younger — Jon was 23, youngest champion in UFC historical past — any person gave him a possibility. I believe that Stipe and Jon, whoever wins ought to give Aspinall the identical alternative they’d.”
Jones and Miocic are set to combat for the heavyweight title in the principle occasion of UFC 309 subsequent month. With interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall ready for his shot on the undisputed title, the bout has confronted criticism, significantly with each Miocic and Jones doubtlessly teasing retirement afterward.
However for White, he believes that’s simply posturing and followers will in the end get the combat they need for Aspinall.
“I believe each Jon and Stipe will say they’re going to retire as a result of they’re going to begin negotiating,” White mentioned. “And what the negotiation is, we’ll get the deal finished.”
UFC 309 takes place on Nov. 16 at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York Metropolis.
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