Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, made headlines with his departure from the UFC in January 2023, citing a desire for freedom and principles over financial gain. Ngannou’s decision to leave the organization came after a year-long negotiation process that failed to address his requests.
Francis Ngannou Leaving the UFC
Cameroon’s Francis Ngannou was trying to use his influence as UFC heavyweight champion to negotiate for health insurance and the ability to pursue sponsorship deals for all fighters. Speaking about his departure, Ngannou remarked, “It doesn’t matter how much [money] is in that contract, I am not free.