Outside Source
PFL suddenly announced earlier this month that Ngannou was no longer a part of the promotion. Days later, it was announced that Ngannou was booked to fight Philipe Lins on May 16 on a Netflix card under the banner of Most Valuable Promotions.
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Ngannou claims the PFL announced his release to stay ahead of the narrative, which the former UFC heavyweight champion understands. However, Ngannou claims that the decision to part ways was not his. “The Predator” wanted the PFL to come up with a nicer story to explain his release. Ngannou also revealed that he had originally left the PFL in January. Ngannou claims he had no prior knowledge that the PFL would publicly announce his release before they did.
Caught Off Guard
“They wanted to get ahead of the story, which is what every organization would do,” Ngannou said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “Because we part ways since January. I also wanted them to come up with something better. Because the decision to part ways was not mine. I was a little surprised when they sent me that. They should have also told me… People just sent it to me. I just saw it out there; I wasn’t aware at all.”
Ngannou (18-3) parted ways with the UFC after failed contract negotiations in 2023 and signed up with the PFL soon after. Ngannou’s high-profile PFL contract allowed him to simultaneously compete in boxing, a demand the UFC refused to meet. Ngannou then lost to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in boxing. Ngannou fought only once in the PFL, defeating Renan Ferreira in October 2024. Ngannou also served as the chairman of PFL Africa, aiming to develop the sport on the continent. Ngannou says he would like to continue working for PFL Africa in some capacity as it was always separate from his fight contract.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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