Ngannou Signs With PFL Deal: Exploring What It Means for UFC and MMA
Plenty to Bet for & Against in Landmark Deal
The Details of Francis Ngannou’s Deal With PFL
He finally did it. Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, has inked a new deal outside of the promotion. News that Ngannou signs with the PFL deal broke on Tuesday, May 16.
It includes at least a high seven-figure per fight guarantee and a share of each event’s net profits. Along with it includes the freedom to box and choose his sponsors along with equity in the PFL and chairmanship of PFL Africa.
“I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man,” Ngannou tweeted Jay-Z’s famous lyrics on Tuesday as he completed one of MMA’s most high-profile signings outside of the UFC.
Ngannou’s deal also includes a reported $2 million guarantee for his opponents, which could also entice other top free agents, including current UFC fighters, to sign with the promotion. The Cameroonian-Frenchman is slated to compete in the promotion’s “Superfight” division.
Ngannou’s Deal: The Pros and Cons
There are at least two big positives for Ngannou’s deal with the PFL: a lot of money and freedom. The latter is something Ngannou could only get with a promotion outside the UFC as the world’s top MMA brand is notorious for keeping their “independent contractors” exclusive to them (unless they’re Conor McGregor).
Under the deal, Ngannou can compete in boxing. In fact, MMA odds expect Ngannou’s next fight to be in the squared circle at -550. Ngannou could box either Tyson Fury (-190), Anthony Joshua (+350), or Deontay Wilder (+425). Fury is the likeliest to box Ngannou and he’s also comfortably favored at -550 to beat him.
Herein lies the high-risk-high-reward nature of Ngannou signing with the PFL deal. Should Ngannou pursue boxing, he will take time away from competing in MMA. That could make him rusty as it did with McGregor. It could also hurt his marketability if and when he gets clobbered by Fury or Joshua.
On the flip side, he can take a “tune-up” fight against a lesser-known boxer. That’s a risky venture as well as Ngannou could lose or come out not looking as dominant as he’s supposed to, which is a big part of his appeal as a fighter.
Mostly, Ngannou signs with the PFL deal means he will not get to fight Jon Jones.
“I will always have a regret of not fighting Jon Jones,” Ngannou said on ESPN’s DC & RC. “I think you know being in this sport, being in this position, what you want to do is test yourself against somebody like Jon Jones who stands as the “GOAT” of the sport. You can’t argue that. Still to this day, if there is ever an opportunity to fight Jon Jones we will do it.”
Of course, “never say never” and there is a minimal chance that Dana White and UFC do a PFL MMA vs UFC event where Ngannou meets Jones in the main event. The betting odds released in 2022 favored Ngannou at around -200 with the comeback on Jones at +170.
How This Deal Impacts MMA as a Business
Depending on where you look, Ngannou’s deal is either a great thing for MMA or a terrible thing. Many media figures and former fighters like Daniel Cormier applaud the deal.
“Big deal for Francis Ngannou. Congratulations to the former UFC heavyweight champion on really setting a new standard for what is out there in the free agent market,” Cormier said through his show DC & RC. “It feels real after this one. It makes MMA feel real after seeing what Francis Ngannou just did.”
Indeed, one of the most optimistic impacts of Ngannou’s deal is how it could influence other UFC stars to pursue opportunities elsewhere. Much like how LeBron James empowered his fellow NBA superstars to change how they approach their careers, Ngannou may just give MMA’s top dogs more ideas on how to grow themselves not just as a fighter but as a brand.
Of course, White and the UFC will not take this lying down. White made his own big announcement almost immediately after reports of the deal. He broke news on a stacked UFC 291 card, which is headlined by the Dustin Poirier-Justin Gaethje rematch.
The UFC will also counterprogram everything Ngannou and the PFL do. The promotion will likely schedule a UFC event in the same week as a PFL event. It may also ramp up its acquisition of promising African MMA prospects to prevent them from signing with PFL Africa.
But regardless, this will benefit plenty of MMA fighters and folks involved in the business. Ngannou went and did it his own way and the business of MMA is going to change as a result.</span
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