Earlier this month, the MMA community was left stunned by reports that former UFC champion Francis Ngannou had been involved in a tragic motorcycle accident in his hometown of Cameroon. The incident occurred over the Easter weekend, when ‘The Predator’ was reportedly riding a motorcycle and struck a 17-year-old girl. Emergency surgery was performed on the teenager after she was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries. Despite medical intervention, the young girl sadly succumbed to her injuries.

Addressing the incident, Francis Ngannou expressed his sorrow and stated that he had been with the victim’s family “from the beginning.” He also extended his “condolences” and affirmed that he would “continue to stand” with the grieving family during this difficult period.

However, the tragedy has since taken a more serious turn. The victim has now been identified as Tsama Manuella, and public criticism toward the Cameroonian has grown more intense. In the wake of the backlash, ‘The Predator’ issued an official press release in which he partly attributed the young girl’s death to alleged medical negligence. He stated: “A serious medical error was made during the care of Mrs. Tsama Manuella at the hospital, notably an overdose of anesthesia, which directly contributed to her death. […] We demand that full light be shed on the responsibility of the hospital and the healthcare staff.”

This latest tragedy has only deepened the emotional weight the Cameroonian is carrying. He continues to mourn the heartbreaking loss of his 15-month-old son, Kobe, who passed away last year under what ‘The Predator’ describes as medical negligence.  Here’s what Francis Ngannou shared about the painful loss of his son.

Francis Ngannou on losing his 15-month-old son: “They didn’t find anything”

Last year, despite facing back-to-back boxing defeats against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, Francis Ngannou’s life seemed to be on a steady path. However, he was soon hit by a devastating personal loss. Although ‘The Predator’ is known for keeping his private life out of the spotlight, he did share on social media that he was going through a tough period. The full reason behind his struggle remained unknown until last year, when, three months after his son’s passing, the Cameroonian finally opened up about the tragedy.

During an appearance on the Joe Rogan Podcast, Francis Ngannou spoke candidly about the medical emergency that led to his son’s death. He explained that despite numerous tests in both Cameroon and Saudi Arabia, doctors were unable to diagnose his son Kobe’s condition.

“He has some malformation on his brain, which is something that we didn’t know,” Ngannou said. “He passed out twice. The first time was in Cameroon, we took him to the hospital. They didn’t find anything. The second time was in [Saudi Arabia], we took him to the hospital. They ran a lot of exams, they didn’t do anything….After all those exams, they gave him some medicine, that he’s going to be OK.”

Francis Ngannou, who left the UFC in 2023, subsequently made his return to MMA in 2024 under the PFL banner, headlining a much-anticipated bout against Renan Ferreira. During his time away from the cage, he also tried his hand at boxing—though unfortunately, both endeavors ended in disappointing losses. And now, he has been dealt another hard hand outside the cage, again.

With the matter still under investigation by the authorities, we can only hope for a peaceful resolution. Stay tuned for further updates.