Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has made a startling claim about his financial struggles in the UFC.
Ngannou started his UFC journey in 2015 and claimed the UFC heavyweight championship in 2021 after defeating Stipe Miocic. He then defended his title against Ciryl Gane, for which he made half a million dollars.
Despite his earnings, Ngannou has opened up on facing financial difficulties during his time in the UFC, admitting that he struggled to cover his expenses and had to borrow $200k from his close friend and then welterweight champion Usman to make ends meet.
“He knew about stuff I turned down from the UFC during negotiation,” Ngannou said during a recent appearance on Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman’s Pound 4 Pound Show. “Even my last fight in the UFC, you know I took $600,000 in my last fight in the UFC as opposed to $5 million that they were offering for the same fight. I was like, ‘Bro.’ And, I was broke, at the time I owe Usman, I owe him $200,000.”
It’s pretty surprising that ‘The Predator’ had to borrow a hefty chunk from Usman during his UFC days. He only got in the cage once in 2020, 2021, and 2022, so he didn’t cash in as much as he could’ve.
After turning down a new UFC deal, Ngannou became a free agent and joined the PFL for MMA. He also lined up a boxing match with Fury, reportedly making $10 million from it.
Now, he’s gearing up to face Joshua in the ring, with the potential to earn millions more.
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