News Francis 'Big Frank' Ngannou Officially Signs with the PFL

[balkanbomber85]

From a pure business point of view, at lest from the perspective I see, signing Francis Ngannou is nothing but a waste of money.

He wont fight until mid of 2024, meaning he will be out for 2,5 years from MMA in his late 30s and in this concrete case will not even be the real PFL HW champ, because they only crown their champs over a yearly tournament, but will just be the super fight champ in a promotion which 99,9% is focused on their tournaments.

And with all due respect, I doubt that Francis possesses any other talent than knocking people out cold which would help PFL.
So, giving him a leading role or whatsoever will not help them at all and will only cost them money (and nerves as much as we have seen from big Frank).

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Honestly they are very green. The big promotion is in SA.
You can see some of the amateurs and pros. Some of the guys with a little bit of experience aren't fighting out of their respective countries. There are a few that fight out of their home country but the scene is small. I don't think they are good enough to join the PFL.
https://www.tapology.com/search/mma-fighters-by-nationality/country-ao
https://www.tapology.com/search/mma-fighters-by-nationality/country-ng

Oh for sure for the most part not good enough yet. Most of the better ones that don't go to EFC seem to go to UAE Warriors where they run the Africa shows.

 

[Rachel Da Bear]

It's not always about "UFC legacy", it's about freedom. Gets to box, do mma, and a white collar job.

Sure beats working for the UFC for 20 years of your life and then retiring by getting knocked out by YouTubers.

 

[Afrikan]

Promotions and fighters
Why would a prospect sign of the UFC when another rising promotion offers much more?

If 2 or 3 promotions rise to the level (or close to that) of the UFC? Then you will have many ranked fighters fighting in different promotions

PFL now has claim to the best HW on the planet. There will come a day were the UFC has a major rival again in MMA. Or rivals.

Why are fighters included? How can they possibly be greedy when we know MMA fighters (especially in the UFC) have been underpaid for a long time now. (Compared to other sports, taking into consideration how much the UFC is raking in.)

Dana and the UFC could have prevented this a while ago.

At least the organization that might be competing against the UFC, will be one that has a tournament setup... we would get to see the best fighters work their way to the top, with no shenanigans.

Bellator has shown they are willing to cross promote or send their fighters to other organizations. I'm sure if the PFL was down, they would cross promote with them... or have one of their fighters enter a PFL season, with one of the PFL's stars enter a Bellator Grand Prix.

 

[Kwic]

I could lick your tears clean haters.

Man getting the deal he always wanted and helping to grow the sport and advocate for fighters in the process.

And showing fuck you finger to the UFC. That's the biggest pro. But shills are going to shit on Frank for not wanting to be a slave and the same ones will also advocate for better fighters pay.

 

[PurpleStorm]

Happy for Francis partnering with PFL. He seems like a good guy who stuck to his principles. His dream was to box and now he will. I watch a lot of non-UFC mma and will watch when he's involved in a fight. Wishing him the best with helping develop more boxing in Africa.

 

[Mr Moist]

Huge signing for PFL they got the #1 HW on the planet and lineal HW champ and I'm glad Francis got the contract that he wanted.

Now let him box in the Jake Paul vs Nate Diaz card

So they went out and got the top mma hw so he can box, which is something he’s never done before. No casual mma fan or any boxing fan are going to give a shit unless he fights a big name. Good for Francis I guess, but bad for the fans who want to see him fight the best fighters in his own sport.

 

[John12]

It's not always about "UFC legacy", it's about freedom. Gets to box, do mma, and a white collar job.

Sure beats working for the UFC for 20 years of your life and then retiring by getting knocked out by YouTubers.

 

[Dana's Moonface]

Depends on the fighter really. Lazy King got offered over $100k to show with PFL but is going to sign with the UFC for a lot less. Soldic and Doumbe took the bag with PFL.

It's because the UFC still has the majority of top talent and much more financial award at the top if someone makes it. I'm just saying in time, another promotion with a boatload of money can rise and tempt fighters to another avenue.

Pride/strikeforce was different as the fighters were not in control and would jump into each ship and fight anyone for a payday

As fighters become more aware of their worth, it will become much harder to make fight sand more stars will try and make an exit to other avenues.

It is very hard for me to put everything into words, or I'd be writing an essay, but I will end it like this.

UFC won't always hold the cards it has now and we won't always get to see the best fight the best. It WILL become like boxing. It may not happen in 10 years like I stated earlier, but it is inevitable. Cards are already diluted as fuck compared to 5-10 years ago

 

[BigNick100]

I could lick your tears clean haters.

Man getting the deal he always wanted and helping to grow the sport and advocate for fighters in the process.

Lmao, you don’t even know what money he is making, if he will even fight for PFL in one fucking year, and who the fuck knows if he will even box..

give yourself a wet willy.

 

[John12]

So they went out and got the top mma hw so he can box, which is something he’s never done before. No casual mma fan or any boxing fan are going to give a shit unless he fights a big name. Good for Francis I guess, but bad for the fans who want to see him fight the best fighters in his own sport.

He will do MMA too, they want him in that million dollar tourney and upsets can happen in long tournaments. Remember the Strikeforce grand prix? Noone knew who Cormier was back then but there's talent everywhere. Francis can make good bucks doing some freak shows boxing fights, I hope to see him in the Paul vs Diaz card

 

[Hellowhosthat]

He will do MMA too, they want him in that million dollar tourney and upsets can happen in long tournaments. Remember the Strikeforce grand prix? Noone knew who Cormier was back then but there's talent everywhere. Francis can make good bucks doing some freak shows boxing fights, I hope to see him in they Paul vs Diaz card

He won't do the tournament. He'll be on PPV cards.

 

[Dirty Frank]

The saga is thankfully over. This has been the MMA equivalent of Lebron's first big free agency.
From one Frank to another, Godspeed Francis!

 

[Ripp0ntare]

Lmao, you don’t even know what money he is making, if he will even fight for PFL in one fucking year, and who the fuck knows if he will even box..

give yourself a wet willy.

These guys are cringe as fuck this morning dude.

Seen someone call other fighters "Slaves" to the UFC. Francis was going to get 8 million and turned that shit down lol.

And how much is Jake and Francis going to make vs the rest of the roster? If The rest of the roster is making even a 8th of what those two will make then there is a serious money laundering scheme going on because barely anyone watches this shit nor will they unless its to watch Jake Paul get wacked. No one is paying for Francis and that has been proven, and yet he wants 50-50 vs fury. Its a huge joke and so many people are hooked.

 

[Bojka]

From a pure business point of view, at lest from the perspective I see, signing Francis Ngannou is nothing but a waste of money.

He wont fight until mid of 2024, meaning he will be out for 2,5 years from MMA in his late 30s and in this concrete case will not even be the real PFL HW champ, because they only crown their champs over a yearly tournament, but will just be the super fight champ in a promotion which 99,9% is focused on their tournaments.

And with all due respect, I doubt that Francis possesses any other talent than knocking people out cold which would help PFL.
So, giving him a leading role or whatsoever will not help them at all and will only cost them money (and nerves as much as we have seen from big Frank).

Does the UFC have any contracts ending? PFL might want to poach some HWs like Affliction did when they needed opponents for Fedor.

 

[John12]

He won't do the tournament. He'll be on PPV cards.

Are you sure they said no tournaments? His tournament fights could be PPV exclusives

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

so if he never fights a top boxer is this still a win?

 

[Human Bass]

Lol fighting only in 2024. PFL got cucked.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

This is big news and doesn't bode well for the MMA fan. The UFC won't always be the only big player in town. Eventually more and more stars will look elsewhere for fights and other organizations will rise. I expect the UFC to have real competition within the next decade and MMA will become like boxing and there will be many different champs

There will come a day were the best won't always fight the best, as many will fight under different banners. I expect cross promotions in MMA will be even more difficult than it is in boxing, which is frankly terrible! Greed will continue to ruin MMA as it follows the path of boxing.

You only have to look at the difference now compared to 5 years ago and there has been a change. I expect a much bigger change in the next 5-10 years!

the only reason PFL wanted him or that anyone even knows who he is is because of the UFC though. the UFC is still the place to go to get eyes on you.

 

[burningspear]

I could lick your tears clean haters.

Man getting the deal he always wanted and helping to grow the sport and advocate for fighters in the process.

all these weak arsed guys praying he fails because of their crabs in a bucket mentality, pathetic