According to Peter Murray, the CEO of the League, Francis Ngannou’s competition in the heavyweight division of the PFL may soon be moving up to a higher level.
Ngannou surprised everyone by announcing a month ago that he had signed a contract with the PFL, putting an end to his free agency.
The huge announcement not only includes ‘The Predator’ signing a multi-fight contract, but also reveals that the Cameroonian star is now a major component in the promotion’s plans for the future. Ngannou, who is 36 years old, will become the new chairman of PFL Africa as a result of the contract, which also makes him an equity holder in the organization and guarantees him seven-figure sums for each of his fights as well as a certain amount for each of his opponents.
Fans of mixed martial arts are understandably excited by the move; nevertheless, there has been some speculation regarding the kind of competitors that Francis Ngannou will face if he competes in the heavyweight class of the PFL.
PFL Chief Executive Officer Peter Murray responded to those concerns in a recent interview with Forbes. He explained that it is highly possible that Ngannou’s opponent has not yet signed with the promotion to compete in the upcoming bout. Murray said:
“That’s quite possible, and there are free agents who will be coming into the mix this year, and we’re excited about that,” he said. “We’re excited about that.”
Fedor Emelianenko, Fabricio Werdum, and Alistair Overeem are just some of the free agents that could be on their radar, despite the fact that Peter Murray didn’t name any of them specifically.
Francis Ngannou’s manager states Jon Jones is the ‘interim baddest man’
The battle between Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones has the potential to be one of the best bouts in the history of the UFC that has never taken place.
The fantasy fight was supposed to determine not only who the heavyweight champion of the UFC is, but also who has the right to use the moniker “baddest man on the planet.”
The management of the Cameroonian fighter, Marquel Martin, was asked to comment on that particular fact. Martin had an appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, during which he asserted that there is no room for argument over the identity of the superior fighter, given that Jones is only temporarily occupying that position. The MMA management elaborated as follows:
“I believe that’s something that has a narrative and a story behind it that’s bigger than just the fight game, and at the same time, we want to see who the baddest man on the planet is,” he said. “I think that’s something that has a narrative and a story behind it that’s bigger than just the fight game.” I am aware that Dana White has just stated that regarding Jon Jones. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe that Jon Jones is the greatest of all time, but the baddest man on the planet? Not at all possible. Perhaps the most dangerous man on the face of the earth right now or something. I believe that Francis possesses that.”
