At the UFC Vegas 67 post-fight press conference, Dana White declared that Francis Ngannou had been released from his contract and had had his heavyweight title removed. At UFC 285 for the vacant championship match, Jon Jones will now return to the octagon.
Numerous UFC competitors, experts, and supporters have praised Ngannou for his resolve to stand his ground in the face of numerous offers from the organisation, which would have made him the highest-paid heavyweight fighter in UFC history. But others have criticised the UFC for releasing one of the most intriguing prospects in the world right now.
The UFC has emphasised that “The Predator” is chasing simpler possibilities with greater financial rewards outside of the UFC in an apparent attempt to refocus the narrative in the aftermath of news that contract negotiations with Ngannou have stalled.
Eddie Alvarez, a former lightweight champion of the UFC who left the company in 2018, criticised the UFC for fabricating a story when Francis Ngannou’s contract negotiations failed. Alvarez tweeted the following:
“The UFC merely lost the bid for Francis, but rather than accepting responsibility, they choose to perpetuate the myth that Francis is the most terrifying woman alive and is reluctant to compete in the UFC. hahhahahahhahahahhahahahhaa These puns are self-explanatory #PHSUnreal.”
Dark Knight Rises actor Christopher Judge reacts to Francis Ngannou’s exit from the UFC
Francis Ngannou has been embroiled in a contract dispute with the UFC for the previous two years, which finally resulted in the promotion announcing his release.
The UFC renounced the matching rights clause and the exclusive bargaining window, making Ngannou the most sought-after free agent in MMA right now.
Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz’s departure from the UFC in September 2022 marked the loss of two superstars in less than a year. The intention of both participants is to engage in combat inside the squared circle. While the Cameroonian is aiming for heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, Diaz has long been linked to a potential battle with Jake Paul.
Christopher Judge, an American actor best known for playing Teal’c in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 and serving as Bane’s second in command in the film Dark Knight Rises, responded to Ngannou’s departure on Twitter by writing, “@francis ngannou can’t wait to see what you do next champ!”
See the tweet that follows:
