Francis Ngannou has transformed his career in 2023, but some within the MMA industry believe those changes will be felt throughout the sport.
Former three-time UFC title challenger Kenny Florian, now a PFL commentator, is one of those who believes Ngannou’s decision to leave the UFC and sign with PFL, which involved him giving up the UFC heavyweight title, will greatly impact MMA.
“It’s a big moment for the organization, and I think it’s something that will change the sport,” Florian told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “There’s other people fighting in the UFC who will ask themselves, ‘Hey, look. Francis Ngannou is fighting there and making good money. Perhaps I can go and do the same and make a million dollars in one year.’
“In the UFC, it can take up to seven years, and you might not even make $1 million. So I think it’s another option for fighters and another option for people watching this sport. I think options are always good, and let’s see what happens. But Francis Ngannou fighting for the PFL, it’s very big for the sport.”
What Ngannou did earlier this year was unprecedented. He fought out his UFC contract and became a free agent, all while still holding the UFC heavyweight title. Ngannou then signed a multifight deal with PFL in one of the most lucrative and least restrictive contracts in MMA history.
Ngannou is expected to debut for PFL in 2024 after he fights boxing champion Tyson Fury in a non-title bout Oct. 28 in Saudi Arabia.
Florian, who retired from MMA in 2011, is hoping to commentate Ngannou’s debut with PFL and be able to call this historic chapter of Ngannou’s career.
“Of course,” Florian said. “I’ve never had the opportunity to commentate a fight of Francis Ngannou, and I’m hoping to get that chance next year. I’m also eager to know who he’s fighting. It’s a very interesting moment.”
