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“They Hold You in Captivity”: Francis Ngannou Revealing Terms of “One-Sided” UFC Contract Goes Viral After Abrupt Release

Published 01/16/2023, 12:30 PM EST

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UFC’s Heavyweight champion was recently released from the league. Francis Ngannou had built tensions with UFC’s president Dana White, following which he had to leave the league. Ngannou was stripped of his title, leaving the belt vacant for fellow weight-class fighters to fight for. There is an old video of the Cameroonian fighter talking to the infamous Ariel Helwani, the news journalist. In the video, he shared his thoughts on UFC’s policy on the ‘independent contract’. The fighter offered critical insights into the dark side of the MMA league. The details were incredibly shocking and unexpected in nature.

 

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The 36-year-old fighter talked about all the things about the UFC that bothered him on a personal level. All his listed problems are genuine and valid. He also was not able to comprehend why the UFC stands tall with its policy. The ideological dispute is what led to the tensions between Ngannou and White. UFC fans are facing an internal conflict regarding the issue. Although the video is very old, it is speculated that the fighter had at least one of the same reasons that forced him to not come to terms with the UFC president.

Do fans support Francis Ngannou’s point of view?

As the old video resurfaces, fans do not need a break to share their opinions. The fighter receives a mix of supportive, as well as non-supportive reactions. We can see a war waging between people who support Ngannou vs. those who support White’s stand.

A supportive comment shows that fans will stand with the Cameroonian fighter, “They lost a good one, this might be the start of fighters not taking the UFC’s sh*t anymore. Not good for UFC.

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Somebody is making a future prediction, “He’ll regret it.”

A concerned fan speaks out for their favorite athletes, “WTF… UFC fighters don’t have health insurance?!

We can see hope shimmering through all the fans. “Fortunately, not all of these dudes have to put up with Dana exploiting them.”

UFC HW Champion Francis Ngannou May Already Have Entered Free Agency: Reports

This is a conflicting opinion on the topic, “They pay you well enough to buy your own insurance. Just like a lot of us do.

A fan references the recent PFL cryptic tweet regarding Ngannou: “One fight with Jake Paul could net $10 million.”

UFC fans are fed up with the way the fighters are treated, “Underpay their fighters but refuse to let them go make money anywhere else. I’m with Francis.

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Why couldn’t Francis Ngannou come to terms with the UFC?

In the resurfacing old video, the fighter is sitting in an online interview with Ariel Helwani. The reporter went on to ask the ex-Heavyweight champion, “What is it that’s really bugging you about what they are offering and what maybe they are not offering?

Ngannou replied with a brutally honest answer, “The term of the contract. Everything that they put into. They hold you in captivity like you can’t do anything. You have no rights. The contract is one-sided. Although you still don’t have anything. You don’t even have health insurance while you’re putting your body on the line to provide to put on the show by risking everything.”

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Watch this story:- Freedom or Legacy? Dana White offered a tough choice for Francis Ngannou

The 36-year-old fighter exposed everything that made him rethink his decision to stay with the league. UFC has proven to be one of the most popular MMA leagues in the new world. However, Francis Ngannou cares about his beliefs before anything else.

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Written by:

Kaif Ali

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Kaif Ali is a UFC content writer at Essentially Sports. He is a full-time student at Delhi University, pursuing a Bachelor's degree in the English language, and a sports enthusiast with a deep passion for MMA. He is always your go-to person when you wish to debate about any UFC champion.
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Edited by:

Debmallya Chakraborty