Francis Ngannou isn’t buying the propaganda about legacy.
In 2023, Ngannou left the UFC after fighting out his contract, when he was unable to come to terms with the promotion on a new deal. Instead, Ngannou signed a lucrative deal with PFL, including several other non-monetary incentives, and pursued his interests in boxing, fighting Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, reportedly earning $10 million for each bout.
But while the increased pay and freedom were nice, Ngannou’s exit from the UFC came with
drawbacks, too. The lineal UFC heavyweight champion has only fought once in MMA since then, a win over Renan Ferreira at PFL Battle of the Giants in 2024, and essentially ended any aspirations he had of going down as the greatest heavyweight of all time. As a result, many fans have criticized Ngannou for his decision to leave the UFC, but “The Predator” knows the truth: legacy doesn’t pay the bills.
“Let me tell you what’s a legacy: my legacy right now is my kids back home, is my family back home getting health care, getting security, being able to put food on the table, being able to put a roof on their head,” Ngannou told MMA Junkie at the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano press conference on Tuesday. “That’s a better legacy. You can have the Muhammad Ali legacy, or whatever you want, if your kid cannot attend school, he has no place in society. If your kid doesn’t have food in his stomach, that legacy doesn’t help you for anything.
“You cannot go to the store, or to the gas station, or at school and pay the school a fee with legacy. You have to understand that. This is bullshit that promotion feeds fighters, trick fighters with, and they’re all out there ‘fighting for legacy.’ Good for you. Keep the legacy. Give me my pay, what I deserve.”
And while Ngannou may not have the same legacy he might have had if he stuck around the UFC, the former heavyweight champion is still doing alright for himself. Earlier this month, Ngannou was released from his contract with PFL, and now, he’s set to return to the cage to face Philipe Lins in the co-main event of the Rousey vs. Carano card live on May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA, broadcast live on Netflix.
