Ngannou was never a draw

[Bend NvR Break]

If you’ve been watching the UFC long enough they can make almost anyone a draw with the right violent KO highlight reel. Being a HW helps the sell too, They can pull the whole “Baddest man on the planet” schtick

This exactly. The UFC PR machine can make 2 bums look world class.

 

[Diamondsareforever47]

UFC 220 = 300K ppv buys
UFC 260 = 350K ppv buys
UFC 270 = 300K ppv buys

Those are all the ppv cards he headlined, even some female fighters did better numbers than that.

He wants to get the same kind of money guys like Mcgregor or the boxing guys get, but he doesn't make their numbers at all, not even close. He was even going to get more money than Lesnar, who was a draw and did muuch vetter numebr than that, Lesnar buys were over a million per card. And Ngannoy still turned it down?

Yes, he may had the potential to be a draw, the UFC was pushing him hard. I still remember when he got the first title shot, his first fight with Miocic, Dana White was promoting him like crazy they were promotikg him more than the champ himself.

Then he finally got the title, he barely got 1 title defense by a very close desicion and then he left? He definitely has the wrong people around him. He probably wasted the best years of his career by no fighting and nownhe is going 40 and he is going to end up fighting cans that nobody knows? he is never going to get that kind of money lile that, I feel bad for him.

yeah he is a nice guy but very delusional. He makes it sound like he is the worst paid fighter ever and seems to say he deserve Khabib, GSP and Conor level money but those guy had much larger bases. GSP had the Canadian and French and white guy base. Khabib had a Russian and Muslim base which is huge. Conor had the annoying alpha type crap talker and Irish base. They are not equal

He likely will not fight this year at the current rate and the UFC could sabotage him by just paying off top boxing promotions to not sign Ngannou who is not a draw to not let him fight. I also really doubt Tyson Fury will want to fight him let alone share so much ppv revenue for such a fight with Ngannou.

 

[VonSupervillain]

So...??

The issue was NEVER MONEY

It was freedom.

UFC was willing to pay but Ngannou wanted more freedom in his contract. That was the issue

People keep forgetting that

It's definitely about money. Freedom to do what? There's literally only one thing that could mean and that is to box. And why does he want to box? Part pride, yes, but mostly because of the money boxing pays.

 

[MDoza]

Ngannou had huge drawing potential.

Stipe and Gane aren’t draws though.

Ngannou vs. Jones would sell more than Jones vs. Gane.

 

[Chagaev]

Ngannou had huge drawing potential.

He did, and before Stipe 1 all I heard was his name.

Then he decided to take a vacation right before the title fight, got beat up, put on a stinker vs Lewis and started talking boxing as soon as he got back on track.

I can't blame the UFC for not putting the hype machine behind him fully, he looked like a risky dude to have leverage since 2018-2019.

 

[djacobox372]

Ngannou had huge drawing potential.

Stipe and Gane aren’t draws though.

Ngannou vs. Jones would sell more than Jones vs. Gane.

The fact that the UFC couldn't make Francis a draw is why he fired them.

 

[Kono dio da!]

It doesn't matter. It really doesn't. What matters is he did things on his own terms. He walked out of the organization as the champion. His shadow will always loom over that division and neither Jon nor Cyril will ever have the right to brag about beating the number one heavyweight in the world, Francis.

 

[Kono dio da!]

So...??

The issue was NEVER MONEY

It was freedom.

UFC was willing to pay but Ngannou wanted more freedom in his contract. That was the issue

People keep forgetting that

Also dreyga you don't even have to go that far. The sales argument is bullshit in and of itself because of the ESPN deal. They get paid a flat fee, equivalent to about 500k sales per show, they're not pressed to sell as much. That's why "draws" can't bully the UFC like Conor did.

Also bullshit that Francis didn't sell sell. Even if those figures are correct 350k ON HIS OWN without a big name is nothing to scoff at. Also getting paid 600k as heavyweight champion is ridiculous.

And yeah freedom like you said. It's ridiculous that fans wanted him to stay and let dana and them fuck him over. Now he can do one offs in different Organisations and leverage different promotions and demand whatever flexible terms he wants. He's the baddest man on the planet.

 

[bubbleboyjones]

So...??

The issue was NEVER MONEY

It was freedom.

UFC was willing to pay but Ngannou wanted more freedom in his contract. That was the issue

People keep forgetting that

 

[You Will Vote For Dreyga]

Yes let's just ignore everything Ngannou said about freedom, respect, and change in his multiple interviews and only focus on a single detail

Try listening to what Ngannou has said

 

[Reach Finesse]

So...??

The issue was NEVER MONEY

It was freedom.

UFC was willing to pay but Ngannou wanted more freedom in his contract. That was the issue

People keep forgetting that

Freedom to get embarrassed in boxing...MMA guys losing to youtubers in boxing kinda killed the hype of him having any chance

 

[Scott Stapp]

The UFC refused to release PPV figures for Jones' last two fights. Let that sink in.

 

[fedorthegoat777]

Huge muscular heavyweight that knocks people out.

Maybe the company that promoted this guy should have done their job and promoted him.

At this point, the ufc only promotes itself.

 

[GeraltOfRivia]

He wanted freedom to box. He wanted to box for the money. So indirectly it was definitely about the money

Genius plan. Box once, get embarrassed because you can’t box, destroy your reputation and marketability. Bravo.

 

[bubbleboyjones]

Yes let's just ignore everything Ngannou said about freedom, respect, and change in his multiple interviews and only focus on a single detail

Try listening to what Ngannou has said

Yes let's just ignore everything tied back to money.

If the UFC was paying him 100 million a fight you think he would give a fuck about health insurance and the ability to box?

 

[RicardinhoPT]

Genius plan. Box once, get embarrassed because you can’t box, destroy your reputation and marketability. Bravo.

It all depends on how much he'd make out of it. Let's say he'd make 10 times what he makes for a UFC fight and only plans to fight 2 or 3 more times in MMA. Then it could still be a good move. It also depends on how the boxing fight would go as Conor's loss didn't hurt him because he did better than expected

 

[You Will Vote For Dreyga]

Yes let's just ignore everything tied back to money.

If the UFC was paying him 100 million a fight you think he would give a fuck about health insurance and the ability to box?

Ngannou is man of principle. He didn't want to be a sell out

 

[bubbleboyjones]

Ngannou is man of principle. He didn't want to be a sell out

 

[You Will Vote For Dreyga]

Listen to what Ngannou's coach says at 3:56. This was about more than money

 

[ExitLUPin]

This says more about UFC than Francis.

If you can't make one of the most vicious KO artists ever with an inspiring backstory a draw... You are dogshit as a promotion. Nothing new tho. UFC has been horrible at promoting for years. They just tag along the UFC brand and give favorable matchmaking to guys they want to shoot up.

Vast majority of superstars in UFC were self made and self promoted by their own charisma, mouthpiece or viral moments. And then UFC started "promoting" them after they already were blazing a trail.