Francis Ngannou's First PFL Opponent Guaranteed To Receive $2 Million (1 Viewer)

[Wonderboy]

When Francis Ngannou made the decision to join the Professional Fighters League (PFL), he had more than just his own interests in mind. The former UFC heavyweight champion recently took to YouTube to provide some insights into the details of his newly announced deal. While Ngannou won't be stepping into the PFL cage until 2024, one particular aspect of his contract caught the attention of many: the financial security it seems to have provided for his future opponent.

“This is the best business decision that I have ever done,” Ngannou said in the video. “At the beginning of my free agency I didn’t know that I could have a deal structure where I could have all this in one deal. I have myself a good guarantee, which is more important. And most importantly, I was even able to have a guarantee of $2 million for my opponent, [so] whomever I’m going to fight next is going to make money too.”

As mentioned earlier, Francis Ngannou is set to participate in the pay-per-view superfight division of the PFL. This division is anticipated to offer fighters a notable 50% revenue share from the events. In addition to his fighting career, Ngannou will also hold the position of chairman in the upcoming PFL Africa, showcasing his commitment to expanding the sport's reach. Furthermore, he will serve on an advisory board that represents the interests of fellow fighters, emphasizing his dedication to ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are addressed.

“I have a seat at the table of the fighter advisory board, the first active fighter to be sitting at this board. I take this matter very serious,” Ngannou said. “ This will mainly be a board that will be advocating for the benefit of the sport and the fighter, not for the promotion. There’s always two parties on the table, and most of the time we forget the other party, which is most important: fighters.”

Moreover, Ngannou expressed that he will have the opportunity to secure personal sponsors, granting him the autonomy to cultivate partnerships outside of his PFL commitments. Furthermore, he will have the freedom to explore opportunities in professional boxing without any interference from PFL, allowing him to pursue his interests in both MMA and boxing simultaneously.

“This deal is exclusive MMA, not combat sports,” he said. “Since PFL doesn’t do boxing, [it] shouldn’t be included in boxing. I can do boxing separately, whenever I want, if ever I want. They are going to step out of my way and support me to do my boxing. That’s one of my biggest dreams to do boxing matches.

Alongside his negotiations with the PFL, Francis Ngannou engaged in discussions with prominent organizations such as Bellator, ONE Championship, and BKFC during his free agency period. However, according to Ngannou himself, none of these organizations came close to matching the comprehensive terms presented by the PFL. It was the PFL's offer that ultimately stood out as the most favorable and aligned with Ngannou's vision for his career.

“A deal like this, I couldn’t have it, not anywhere close. Nobody has something close like this,” he said. “The good thing is that I’m joining them on a goal that they have. Our needs align together, and it was a perfect fit. It was the best professional decision that I have ever made. It was the best business decision that I have ever made.

“I appreciate your concern, I appreciate your worries about me. But man, believe me, I’m doing great,” he added. “With all due respect to all the other promotions, nobody could really get anywhere close to this point. All the stuff that mattered to me, nobody really cared about it. Everybody just wants to get a fight out of you and shake hands, goodbye. Which is something I don’t have here. No matter what other promoters say, no matter what some fighters say, no matter what some media say, who do you think is the baddest motherf—-er on the planet? Me.”