Francis Ngannou: First PFL Opponent to Receive $2 Million Guarantee

[chiefwiggum]

He has his literal choice of any HW on the planet at that price point that is not already under contract. $2mil + PPV for a match in not even the premier MMA org is pretty spectacular.

Sounds like PFL will want to build someone to fight him though which makes sense.. to have their own star under contract already in case things go terribly for Francis.

but who is there? I can’t think of anyone. Let alone a younger guy they can build up.

 

[bubbleboyjones]

So it will be at least 2 full years since he has fought and hasn't gotten paid anything.

Unless he is sitting on a boatload of cash, throwing away 2 years of your prime doesn't seem like a very good idea.

Ngannou is heavily banking on a boxing fight. Basically he's not doing MMA until he boxes.

One issue is that there seems to be no urgency from Tyson or Widler to box him. I just watched MMAHour with him from 30 mins ago and Ariel asked him yet again the status on that and he said basically they were talking to Wilder but that fell through and Wilder looking for a title fight. Possible he still gets something big later this year.

 

[nintey]

Chase Sherman! Go get your money!

 

[ryun253]

Francis gonna get one of his buddies signed & challenge him.

 

[Willek]

Chad Mendes made 500K fighting Conor and that was "red panty night"

 

[NoSmilez]

Who is there to fight Francis? Werdum? Werdum is like ten years older than Francis. Only other free agents are like Overeem and Philip Defries from KSW. There are some guys from Bellator but I don't think they are willing to lend out their HWs for this fight.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

This is a genuine question, aside from the "up to" 2 million dollars his opponent gets, what benefits are other PFL fighters getting? Here's the list I've seen, no mention of guaranteed fighter health insurance, please link a source you've seen that expands upon this list.

• It is for only 2 or 3 fights
• Guarantees a “high 7-figure” purse for each fight
• A split of the events net profits
• A signing bonus or salary to serve as a brand ambassador for PFL
• The right to have his own sponsors in the cage
• Non-exclusive with regards to boxing
• No champions clause or other extensions
• A minimum salary (possibly as high as $1 million) for his opponent.

He said that he doesn't think he could get everything he was asking and wasn't expecting to get everything he asked for, health care must have been on of the things he couldn't get. However he got the fighter advocate he wanted and he's getting a gaurnenteed percentage of the revenue for the PPV events to go to the fighters so it's obvious he wanted to help others and that along with being allowed to do boxing were the reasons he didn't sign with the UFC or other MMA promotions.

Most of the details of his deal in regards to helping fighters is on the front page of Sherdog.com. It says his next opponent is getting 2 million.

 

[Willek]

Chase Sherman! Go get your money!

Sherman UD by volume.

 

[ComfortablyNumb55]

"fRaNCis dRooPPed THe baG. HAhA daNA WhiTE RulEZ. UFc BaBY!"

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

He said that he doesn't think he could get everything he was asking and wasn't expecting to get everything he asked for, health care must have been on of the things he couldn't get. However he got the fighter advocate he wanted and he's getting a gaurnenteed percentage of the revenue for the PPV events to go to the fighters so it's obvious he wanted to help others and that along with being allowed to do boxing were the reasons he didn't sign with the UFC or other MMA promotions.

Most of the details of his deal in regards to helping fighters is on the front page of Sherdog.com. It says his next opponent is getting 2 million.

Well he's got the advocate role himself and gets paid to be an ambassador. A handful of guys get ppv split for cards he's on. I fully see benefits for Francis and a handful of other fighters (maybe) but nothing for the roster as a whole.

 

[LiQuiD42]

Thats great Francis got himself some money and his 1st opponent as well. That might draw one name over to fight him. I just hope other fighters don't expect the same results in negotiations. I really don't see this happening again.

 

[mudrubble]

Well that would depend on how much revenue they generate. 100k buys x $100 ppv is $5m to split with all fighters.

Very fair point. Assuming Francis gets 40% of that, give or take, that's $2m per fight, which is what he would have gotten for his 2nd 2 fights in the UFC, and $6m less than he would have gotten for his 1st one.

BUT he has sponsors. For a man making the moves he's making, I imagine he can get a lucrative amount from that. Over the course of those 3 fights, that alone might make up the shortfall, or even exceed it.

And he can TRY, contractually, to land that elusive boxing fight, if possible.

And he allegedly gets a separate salary or pay for PFL Africa and as a board member, allegedly.

So the money looks to be somewhere between "in the same range as" to "more than" to *POSSIBLY* (longshot, boxing) "way more than" what the UFC offered.

And, most importantly, he is happy with his deal and who he's in business with.

Joke is I might pony up and buy a PFL ppv just to support. Ahem.... like I obv do with ALL ppvs....

 

[Laheys'Liquorland]

BIG Frank Bless!!!!

 

[mudrubble]

Francis hasn’t done anything for me. And believe me I’ve asked.

....which defines him as a failure and someone who has "fkd up the bag". He should go slithering back to Pinky D and UFC immediately.

 

[BreatheSherBro]

Good guy Frank looking out for his opponent.

I would fight him for 2 million if I were allowed to immediately turtle up and tap to strikes.

 

[DudeBroMMA]

Every HW/LHW is probably trying to get out of their contract so they can fight Francis

 

[dog y]

Good for him, his opponent, and us.
Unfortunately 2024. Get in there, Francis!

 

[mudrubble]

Im a scott coker shill get it right



Until he actually gets a boxing match, makes the bag and THEN fights in PFL its still a pipe dream

True, but he's happier, much happier where he is. He is looking at making either slightly less than the UFC offered to *POSSIBLY* way more. And he likes who he works with and has new duties and roles he's passionate about. Compared to being shit on by Hunter and Dana and very obviously hating it.

So even if he never gets the boxing payday, he's a happy man who's sleeping well, and certainly far from poor. Good for him! I'd rather make $8m per year and be happy and inspired than make $12m per year and hate a lot of my job and politics and bosses. He seems to have made the best move for him.

 

[DFresh1]

Right, he fumbled the bag and he thinks he not only scored himself but his opponent a million dollar fight? Btw where is your proof that it’s bs? Stfu and keep hating.

He will, its his life's mission/religion.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

My buddy who actually follows UFC, and to a lesser extent is aware of Bellator and ONE events and some of their guys, literally asked me this morning what PFL was based on off this news. Didn't have any idea it existed, but then liked the thought of an actual league like in other sports.

Now then they're going to try and pivot to PPVs and whatever the fuck card you want? You can't do that. Other leagues have fake exhibition games like All-Star games precisely to get AROUND their league setting and matchup what they want, but it's still all known that the event is just for fun. A league can't have non-league matchups that count otherwise it's not a league.

Like what, you sign the #1 HW in the world to your league and just... don't make him compete in it to determine the new #1 HW? How does that help your league?

PFL is getting Affliction'd.

Couldn't agree more. Their PPV attempt will crash and burn. Also, remember the Bellator PPV?