Highlights: Francis Ngannou is a multiple world heavyweight champion in the UFC. The 36-year-old Cameroonian signed for the PFL, an American organization competing with the UFC, a few days ago. He intends to promote the African continent, which he considered until now neglected. A fight is envisaged by early 2025, but he is pushing for the first PFL Africa event to be launched at the end of 2024. "I am passionate about PFL's vision of sport," he says.

Multiple heavyweight world champion in the UFC, the queen organization of MMA, and superstar of the discipline, Francis Ngannou slammed the door of the institution with a bang last January.

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MMA/Francis Ngannou: "This new project fascinates me"

Cameroon's Francis Ngannou after his victory against Ciryl Gane. USA TODAY Sports - Gary A. Vasquez

Text by: Martin Guez Follow

5 min

Multiple world heavyweight champion in the UFC, the queen organization of MMA, and superstar of the discipline, Francis Ngannou slammed the door of the institution with a bang last January. He committed a few days ago to the PFL, an American organization competing with the UFC, in which the 36-year-old Cameroonian intends to promote the African continent, which he considered until now neglected.

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RFI: Francis Ngannou, you slammed the door of the all-powerful UFC last January, and just signed for the PFL, the little league of MMA that is rising. What does this new contract mean to you?

Francis Ngannou: That's everything I've fought for in recent years. And that kind of erases that whole bad experience. After the UFC, it was about finding something better. This is done at PFL. The biggest factor that convinced me in my new contract was PFL Africa. I've been fighting for years, asking the UFC to organize a fight in Africa. But I realized that it would never happen. We'll just say that the UFC wasn't committed enough, and didn't want to. But it was something that was close to my heart! We have launched PFL Africa, which will be a platform entirely based in Africa. The goal is already to help fighters to develop, to have access to quality training. We will provide coaches, rooms, equipment, equipment when we can... And in a second step, we will try to set up fights.

Is the UFC's lack of ambition in Africa the reason for your departure?

That was part of the overall reason for leaving, which was this lack of consideration. I felt... not unwanted, but discredited in the UFC. There was no longer that connection. On the other hand, PFL gave me consideration. For me, that was very important.

Precisely, you will be the boss of this African branch of the PFL. Can we soon hope for a fight in Cameroon or elsewhere on the continent?

Yes indeed! But the first part of my job is to allow fighters to develop. In the meantime, we will also set up our structure in Africa because there, we have to do everything! A fight is envisaged by early 2025. But I am pushing for the first PFL Africa event to be launched at the end of 2024.

Concretely, you will have to move on the continent?

Not at all... Even though it's one of my big projects. But with this new beginning for me, it's no longer a project, it's no longer a desire, it's a duty.

With your friends, Nigerians Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman, you are the three big stars of the African continent in your discipline. Africa is passionate about MMA, do you feel this craze?

First of all, it took time to get to this point. It takes years for the result to appear to the general public. It's been five years that I have a foundation, I try to give training structures to children in Cameroon. In June, the second room of the Francis Ngannou Foundation will be inaugurated in Douala. It is a large room, with a first level for training and a second for gala fights. Kamaru Usman also has his organization in Nigeria, which is called Africa KnockOut. It's a long-term job, it's not easy, but we're coming up with something concrete. And the most fascinating thing is the craze! It's motivating. We hope that this is just the beginning, and that it will continue even when Israel, Kamaru and I no longer fight, because we are not eternal. However, it should not faze down, it should even grow.

You don't come to PFL alone. Other fighters arrive, like Cédric Doumbé, Franco-Cameroonian kickboxing star. Is this league changing dimension?

Of course! I am passionate about PFL's vision of sport. Some have downplayed the African continent, but not them. This is the first point that fascinated me. Then they do a great job internally to grow the league. There have been a lot of signings lately. Cedric? It has potential. His mastery of kickboxing is a very interesting asset. He follows the example of Israel Adesanya, who comes from the same discipline and has made his way to the UFC to sit on the throne. I think that if Cedric works on certain aspects, he will also have these abilities.

Your new contract with the PFL allows you to box. Have you started negotiations for a future fight in this discipline?

There is nothing concrete at the moment. Just negotiations.

Negotiations with a certain Tyson Fury (editor's note: British world champion, undefeated in the professionals)? It's a possible fight that makes a lot of talk, would it be ideal for you to face it?

Oh yes, that would be ideal! But it's not done. We are working on it, but as we say here, it is the "Wild West". What is certain is that I would like to do a boxing fight this year. Whether it's with a big star or just a simple fight. And I would like to enter the cage again early next year. In the octagon in early 2024!

MMA/Francis Ngannou: "This new project fascinates me"

MMA/Francis Ngannou: "This new project fascinates me"

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