Francis Ngannou’s Vision With PFL Africa

2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, October 19, 2024. (Jose Peñuela / 2024PFLPPV)

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Francis Ngannou is no stranger to challenges. He left Cameroon with little more than a dream and went on to become a world champion, establishing himself as one of the most recognisable names in combat sports. His journey has always revolved around breaking barriers. Today, Ngannou faces a new test, not in the cage but in the boardroom and training grounds of PFL Africa, where he serves as Chairman and minority owner.

For Ngannou, this project is much more than a business venture; it is a mission that is deeply rooted in his personal experiences. He aims to create opportunities for young African fighters that he did not have while growing up. “To me, it’s a legacy,” Ngannou confidently stated. “I take it personally as a mission.”

In a conversation with Forbes.com, Ngannou also confirmed that he will attend the semifinals in Kigali, Rwanda, scheduled for October 18th. This event marks the first PFL Africa fight he will witness in person, emphasising both his personal commitment and the growing significance of the league for African MMA. During the discussion, he outlined his goals for the organisation, now in its inaugural season on the continent, focusing on fighter development, creating a sustainable ecosystem, and providing a global platform for African talent.

A New Chapter for African MMA

The launch of PFL Africa marked a major milestone in the global expansion of the Professional Fighters League, but for Ngannou, it represents something more symbolic: the recognition that Africa is ready to stand as a central stage for mixed martial arts.

For years, African fighters and those of African descent have excelled on the world stage, from Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya to Ngannou himself. But almost all had to leave their home countries to train, compete, and ultimately build careers. PFL Africa aims to change that.

“In the past, people felt like they had to leave home to chase this career,” Ngannou explains. “Now, somebody knows that from wherever they are in Africa, they can train and become a PFL fighter and a global fighter. They don’t need to go to the West.”

It is this shift, the possibility of staying home and still making it to the top, that Ngannou believes will inspire the next generation.

Building Fighters, Building Futures

Central to this mission is fighter development, a mandate Ngannou acknowledges is still in its early stages.

“Fighter development is something that takes time,” he admits. “It’s not a thing we can say we’ve already done. It’s a process.”

At present, PFL Africa faces the logistical hurdle of finding fighters who are both well-trained and competition-ready. To bridge the gap, the league is considering a hybrid approach. On one hand, promising athletes may be sent abroad to train in the U.S. or Europe, with PFL covering the costs. On the other hand, the organisation is exploring ways to build infrastructure locally, from investing in gyms to sending coaches into high-potential regions to nurture fighters directly at home.

“It’s a lot of work behind the stage,” Ngannou says. “But it’s not something that will come to fruition right away.”

Still, his outlook is optimistic. He envisions that within three years, PFL Africa will not only have a strong roster of fighters but also a larger pool of athletes being developed across the continent.

Planting the Seeds Early

What many may not realise is that Ngannou has been investing in African MMA long before his official role with PFL Africa. Since 2018, he has personally funded local events, organised international competitions where fighters travelled from abroad to challenge his students, and, through the Francis Ngannou Foundation, created the first-ever MMA-certified gyms in Cameroon and Central Africa.

In 2019, he opened the Francis Ngannou Foundation Gym in Batié, his hometown, marking the beginning of a groundbreaking project. Four years later, in 2023, he established a second gym in Douala, Cameroon’s largest city, extending his mission to reach even more aspiring athletes.

These early efforts reflect his philosophy of giving back. “It’s about developing fighters and contributing in my own way, giving others what I would have hoped to have earlier in my life,” he explains. What began as Ngannou’s personal initiative is now evolving into a continent-wide ecosystem, with PFL Africa providing the global platform to scale his vision.

Balancing Leadership and Competition

Despite his involvement in PFL Africa, Ngannou hasn’t closed the door on his own fighting career. After stepping into boxing in recent years, fans have wondered whether he would return to MMA. His answer is reassuring.

“I’ve been training, and I think I still have a couple of fights in me,” he says. While no official announcements have been made, he suggests that a comeback is on the horizon.

It’s a balancing act: managing responsibilities as a leader in PFL Africa while preparing for his own athletic pursuits. But for Ngannou, it is not a contradiction. If anything, his continued presence in combat sports only adds credibility to the league he is building.

More Than a Fight League

What Ngannou envisions for PFL Africa goes beyond just competition. He speaks about creating an ecosystem: a model designed to impact everyday people, not just fighters and promoters. “Potentially, PFL Africa could be airing on television,” he explained. “With the audience that the TV now attracts, companies will want to advertise. They will pay the TV network, and in turn, the TV will pay PFL Africa. Additionally, PFL Africa will pay the people they work with, including trainers and assistants, who will provide for their families and then go out to buy goods in the market. That’s the ecosystem we expect, and that’s how we aim to create an economic impact as well.”

For Ngannou, this ripple effect: from broadcast deals to sponsorships, from coaches’ salaries to a family’s trip to the local market, is what makes the sport sustainable. By ensuring that even the most basic levels of community life feel the benefit, he believes PFL Africa can embed MMA into the continent’s fabric in a way that lasts. The goal is not just to build champions in the cage, but to create a sporting culture and economy that thrives for many years.

A Vision of Legacy

The journey is far from over. Ngannou is the first to admit that building PFL Africa will take patience, persistence, and a willingness to confront setbacks. However, with the inaugural season’s semifinals approaching, gyms growing, and fighters already inspired by the league’s existence, the first steps have been taken.

For Ngannou, this is not just another chapter in his career. It is the foundation of his legacy.

“I’ve been doing this since before PFL,” he says. “Now it’s about scaling it, making it bigger, and showing people that Africa can be a global hub for MMA.”

If his own story is anything to go by, Francis Ngannou thrives when the odds are stacked against him. With PFL Africa, he is betting on more than himself; he is betting on a continent, on a generation, and on a dream that is already beginning to take shape.