Francis Ngannou New Deal With PFL and Next Fight

After months of speculation, former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou finally has a new fight promotion. The 36-year-old inked a new deal with Professional Fighters League, the promotion announced on Tuesday morning.

The deal gives Ngannou a unique opportunity to compete in both MMA and boxing.

Ngannou’s long free-agency period (after not renewing his contract with the UFC following his decisive unification victory over Cyril Gane in January 2022 at UFC 270) was perhaps the most discussed and polarizing in the sport’s history.

The deal with PFL, which had been rumored for months, appears to have given Ngannou many–if not all–of the things he was denied by the UFC. According to PFL, the deal has been called a “strategic partnership.” It will provide Ngannou with equity in the organization as well as a leadership opportunity for PFL Africa, where he will serve as chairman.

One of the biggest issues the UFC had with Ngannou was his desire to compete in boxing alongside his career in mixed martial arts.

PFL has granted Ngannou that freedom as a competitor, and the Cameroonian’s first professional boxing match is likely to be announced later this year.

His debut in the PFL cage is not expected to take place until the middle of 2024, per PFL. However, Ngannou does not have an opponent set for his PFL debut, as he will compete in the promotion’s Superfight division.

This division of the promotion is designed to attract big names from around combat sports, and it offers larger percentages of the pay-per-view revenue as well as healthier guaranteed compensation per fight. YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul signed a similar deal with the promotion earlier in 2023.

How much did PFL offer Ngannou?

“Let’s just say, all-in my deal with P.F.L. is more than anyone else offered,” Ngannou said, per the New York Times.

“The past few months have been a very interesting time to understand and see the landscape but I’m very excited about this deal with the P.F.L. because they basically showed what I was expecting. They didn’t just show up as a promotion that was looking for a fighter, but really came as a partner that sees more value in you as a person.”

The chances for a megafight between WBC Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder is now all the more possible for Ngannou. The deal with PFL will surely be watched closely, as it could set a new precedence for mixed martial artists looking to broaden their horizons and expanding their earning potential.

A slight change was made to the headline after it was published – 5/16/23