The UFC champion no longer wants to fight for a mere $500,000. He wants permission to fight in his contract

In just a few days, Francis Ngannou will defend his title against his former training partner. However, lately he has often talked about the low pay in the UFC or his dream of taking a boxing match. This was most notably the case during an interview with ESPN.

The UFC’s first numbered tournament in 2022 is coming up, and one of the participants in the main event of the entire gala spoke to the media about his dissatisfaction with his contract with the organization.

However, heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has been critical of the conditions in the best MMA organization in the world for quite some time. He would like a new contract with much better terms.

“I’m not going to fight for 500 or 600 thousand dollars anymore. I took the fight with Cyril Gano for personal reasons. I want to make sure that even though I was treated badly, I will fulfill my contract with the UFC,” Ngannou expressed in an interview with ESPN.

The Cameroon native also revealed that he signed a five-year contract with the UFC in December 2017. The contract then has a clause that if he holds the title after it expires, he will have to complete three more fights or stay in the UFC for one year.

Ngannou says the UFC contract is very tricky. Even though he signed it several years ago, he still has to work it out. He hasn’t negotiated a new contract with the organization yet, but he’s not opposed to staying.

However, UFC boss Dana White says it’s up to Ngannou whether or not he stays. In the event that the champion quits the organization, he says nothing would happen. Understandably, that doesn’t impress the Cameroonian fighter.

But the fact is that if Ngannou were to quit the UFC, he wouldn’t have to worry about his job. He is arranging boxing matches with Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder. But he would love to do them as a UFC fighter. All he wants is better conditions, which, besides the money, include boxing endorsements.

And if by chance he loses the title to Gano? “It’ll be fine, it won’t take anything away from me. I’ve done a lot of things. Nobody gave me anything, I fought everything myself and I want to win this fight. Not many people can tell a story like me. I’m happy for where I’ve come” Ngannou ended his statement.

Source: ESPN