Francis Ngannou signs contract with PFL. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
The recent agreement between Francis Ngannou and the PFL may have signaled the beginning of a 'new era' in world MMA. In an interview with 'MMA Fighting', former UFC champion Randy Couture said that the Cameroonian wanted 'more than money' and stated that many heavyweights (up to 1202 kg) should try the same path in the near future.
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“I think this will definitely catch the attention of a lot of guys in the division. Surely, they should look at this and consider the same when they are free agents in the near future. Look at those million-dollar checks they give out at the PFL Finals. Six new millionaires walked out of the arena that night and some of them fought for a long time and never received that amount of money. Some would probably fight their whole career and never see that kind of money,” Couture said.
The MMA legend said Ngannou was not only looking for a higher salary, but also wanted better working conditions for himself and his fellow professionals.
“It wasn’t just about money. The money that the UFC was offering him was very good compared to what has been happening in our sport. It was about these other things that the PFL was happy to give Francis more value, give him a voice, make him part of the athlete's advisory board, make him president of the PFL on the continent where he grew up. I think all of these were huge factors for our sport”, concluded the legend.
free on the market, Francis Ngannou has not acted professionally since January 2022 when he crashed Cyryl Gane in the unification of the heavyweight belts. A year later, the Cameroonian did not reach an agreement with the UFC to renew his contract and was released by the organization chaired by Dana White.
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