TLDR
- Francis Ngannou left the UFC in 2023 as champion after failing to reach a new contract agreement
- He earned $10 million each for boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua
- Ngannou says providing for his family is more important than his fighting legacy
- He called legacy talk ‘bullshit’ that promotions use to trick fighters into accepting less pay
- Ngannou will fight Philipe Lins on May 16 at Netflix’s first professional MMA event
Sources: mmafighting.com | middleeasy.com | mmajunkie.usatoday.com
Francis Ngannou has a message for critics who say he ruined his fighting legacy by leaving the UFC: he doesn’t care. The former UFC heavyweight champion spoke out Tuesday at a press conference in Inglewood, California, defending his decision to prioritize money over prestige.
Ngannou left the UFC in January 2023 after his contract expired. He could not reach an agreement with the promotion on a new deal, even though he held the heavyweight title at the time.
Since leaving, Ngannou signed with the PFL and pursued boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He reportedly earned $10 million for each boxing bout.
Many fans have criticized Ngannou for his career choices. He has fought in MMA only once since leaving the UFC, defeating Renan Ferreira at PFL Battle of the Giants in 2024.
Francis Ngannou on his leave from the UFC#RouseyCarano pic.twitter.com/1Dxz3u5kk0
— Sal Arteaga (@sal__arteaga) March 11, 2026
Family Over Fame
Ngannou explained what legacy really means to him. “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,” he told MMA Junkie.
He said financial security for his family matters more than his reputation in combat sports. “You can have the Muhammad Ali legacy, or whatever you want, if your kid cannot attend school, he has no place in society,” Ngannou said.
The Cameroonian-French fighter called legacy talk a trick used by promotions. “You cannot go to the store, or to the gas station, or at school and pay the school a fee with legacy,” he explained.
Calling Out Promotion Tactics
Ngannou said promotions use legacy to manipulate fighters into accepting less money. “This is bullshit that promotion feeds fighters, trick fighters with, and they’re all out there ‘fighting for legacy,'” he said.
He made his priorities clear. “Good for you. Keep the legacy. Give me my pay, what I deserve,” Ngannou stated.
Ngannou’s UFC run lasted nearly a decade and included 15 fights. He has said publicly that he made more money from his last three fights outside the UFC than from his entire time with the promotion.
Earlier this month, Ngannou was released from his PFL contract. He is now set to return to MMA competition on May 16.
Ngannou will face Brazilian fighter Philipe Lins in the co-main event at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The fight card will be headlined by Ronda Rousey versus Gina Carano, with both fighters returning after long retirements.
The event will stream live on Netflix, marking the platform’s first professional MMA card. Ngannou’s return comes after more than a year away from MMA competition.
