It’s another day, and we have another update from your favorite combat sports.
Francis Ngannou made headlines with his shiny PFL contract. But, ex-boss Dana White has harsh predictions about this new venture.
On Tuesday, 16 May, Francis Ngannou officially joined the PFL. The perks seem attractive, considering a position on the Advisory board, a seven-figure contract, and equities.
But, ex-boss Dana White says, “I know how this story ends.”
Wondering what all the negativity is about? Continue reading to find out.
Initially, Dana hadn’t formally spoken about Ngannou’s deal. However, he recently broke the silence on the matter.
White shed light on this deal’s practical and financial aspects, commenting, “You’re going to pay the guy not to fight for a year, and it’s already been 18 months. He’s fought three times in the last three years. It’s just not what we do here. It’s not what we do. The day we released him, I knew exactly what would happen.”
Initially, Dana had even implied that Ngannou was avoiding a fight with John Jones because he was afraid of losing.
White was also quick to clarify this statement saying he doesn’t believe Ngannou is afraid of anyone. However, he isn’t ready to take risks.
Moreover, White is confused why PFL wants to pay to train Ngannou for a boxing match that isn’t even confirmed. He said it didn’t make sense how it benefited PFL.
In White’s opinion, Ngannou is living in a fantasy believing his MMA/Boxing crossover is like the iconic McGregor vs. Mayweather event.
That event worked and made money because they got the right people to fight under the right circumstances.
He also called that fight a once-in-a-lifetime event. And even then, Dana wasn’t enthusiastic about it, saying an MMA and boxing crossover didn’t make sense to him.
Overall Dana has found PFL to be a professional enterprise. However, he has questioned their recent business decisions, which include Ngannu’s deal.
He clarified that he doesn’t have any personal beef with the agency. However, he said their business strategy doesn’t make sense to him.
He highlighted the rumors that PFL is earning $280 to $300 million by doing business in the Middle East.
Additionally, he thinks their spending this $280 million to buy Bellator doesn’t make sense. This is because they don’t have ratings and are wasting money. The cherry on top is PFL itself is in a similar position.
As for Ngannou, White mentioned his recent fight history, or the lack thereof, questioning his commitment to PFL.
But, Ngannou seems like he has serious plans with the PFL. This is what he tweeted today, “If you ever really want that Jon Jones fight to happen, reach out to Peter Murray. Whenever, wherever.“
Dana White has raised some valid points regarding this deal. However, we can only wait to witness how fruitful this new venture will be for Ngannou in the long run.
He, on the other hand, seems satisfied with the perks.
But what about PFL? Will it be as fruitful for them in the long run as well, or are they truly just burning cash, as White puts it?
Let us know in the comments!
