MMA
Francis Ngannou Has No Regrets After Departing UFC to Become Free Agent
by privatebet.com - 2023/01/19
All hell broke loose earlier this week after it was announced Francis Ngannou is leaving UFC. The reigning champion was stripped of his UFC Heavyweight Championship title following his exit, but he claims he doesn’t have any regrets after becoming a free agent. Many expected Ngannou to sign a new deal with the UFC after his contract expired in mid-December, but these plans eventually fell through. The UFC president Dana White was highly critical of Ngannou following his exit, saying he rejected a deal that would make him the highest-paid heavyweight in the history of the company, but money wasn’t the issue, according to Ngannou. The former heavyweight champion reportedly rejected to re-sign with the UFC because he wasn’t offered three things he was asking for – permission to solicit outside sponsors, health insurance, and a fighter advocate present during board meetings. “In that contract, I’m not free. I’m not an independent contractor. I have no rights. I hand over all the power to you guys… I know that I did everything right. I don’t have any regrets. I wouldn’t do anything differently if I had to do it again,” claims Ngannou. Ngannou is the first reigning champion to leave the UFC since BJ Penn in 2004, and he’s now an unrestricted free agent.