Francis Ngannou News
Dana White on future Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane title fight: "F*cking Vince couldn’t have wrote a better script for this"
Christopher Taylor - August 8, 2021
Dana White claims Vince McMahon couldn’t have wrote a better script for the UFC’s future heavyweight title unification bout between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane. Gane (10-0 MMA) captured the promotions interim heavyweight title at tonight’s UFC 265 event in Houston by scoring a third round TKO victory over Derrick Lewis. It was a dominant performance from the Frenchman and one that has now set him up on a collision course with Francis Ngannou.
UFC 265: 'Lewis vs. Gane' Live Results and Highlights
Chris Taylor - August 7, 2021
The Octagon returns to Houston for tonight’s UFC 265 event, a thirteen-bout fight card headlined by heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Ciryl Gane. Lewis (25-7 MMA) will enter tonight’s interim heavyweight title fight with Gane (9-0 MMA) sporting a four-fight winning streak. In his most recent effort this past February, ‘The Black Beast‘ scored a sensational second round knockout victory over perennial division contender Curtis Blaydes.
Randy Couture rips Dana White over interim heavyweight title fight at UFC 265: "I think it’s a disservice to Francis"
Chris Taylor - August 7, 2021
MMA legend Randy Couture is critical of Dana White and company creating an interim heavyweight title, calling the act a disservice to Francis Ngannou. Ngannou (16-3 MMA) captured the promotions heavyweight title back at March’s UFC 260 event, this after scoring a second round knockout victory over Stipe Miocic. The win marked his fifth stoppage in a row, as ‘The Predator’ had previously recorded four-straight first round finishes.
Dana White offers new defense for UFC interim heavyweight title, Francis Ngannou responds
Chris Taylor - August 7, 2021
Dana White has offered a new explanation for tonight’s interim heavyweight title fight at UFC 265, drawing a quick response from Francis Ngannou. Ciryl Gane and Derrick Lewis will collide in tonight’s event headliner in Houston with the promotions interim heavyweight title up for grabs. It is undoubtedly an exciting matchup, but given the fact that Francis Ngannou just won the heavyweight title back in March, many fans are not happy with the interim strap being associated with the bout.
Francis Ngannou sends message of support to Miranda Maverick after getting robbed by the judges at UFC Vegas 32
Adam D Martin - July 26, 2021
UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou sent a message of support to Miranda Maverick after getting robbed by the judges at UFC Vegas 32. In one of the most controversial decisions of the year, the judges awarded Maycee Barber a split decision win over Maverick following their main card battle at UFC Vegas 32. Most fans and media thought that Maverick had done enough to win the first two rounds of the fight and therefore take home a 29-28 decision on the scorecards after Barber won the last round. But somehow, two of the three judges scoring the fight sided with Barber instead.
Ciryl Gane doesn't feel bad for Francis Ngannou that interim UFC heavyweight title was created
Adam D Martin - July 4, 2021
Ciryl Gane says that he doesn’t feel bad for Francis Ngannou that an interim UFC heavyweight title was created for him and Derrick Lewis. Ngannou was fully expected to fight Lewis in the main event of UFC 265 in August, but the UFC did an about-face this week and created an interim title fight between Lewis and Gane for the event instead. According to the UFC, Ngannou wasn’t able to fight in August and the promotion already had an event booked in Houston, Texas, and needed Lewis to fight on the card. With Gane coming off of a great win over Alexander Volkov in a fight where he didn’t absorb much damage, the UFC matchmakers called up Gane to quickly turn around and fight Lewis for the interim belt. Of course, Gane said yes right away to the fight.
Pros react after Derrick Lewis vs. Ciryl Gane is announced as interim heavyweight title fight at UFC 265
Christopher Taylor - June 28, 2021
Dana White shocked fight fans this afternoon when he announced that Derrick Lewis would be fighting Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title at UFC 265. After weeks of the UFC President insinuating that a rematch with ‘The Black Beast’ would be next for reigning UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, ESPN’s Brett Okamoto announced that Lewis vs. Gane was official for August 7 in Houston.
Derrick Lewis and Ciryl Gane react after being booked in interim heavyweight title fight at UFC 265
Chris Taylor - June 28, 2021
Derrick Lewis and Ciryl Gane have reacted after being booked in a interim heavyweight title fight at UFC 265. After weeks of Dana White insinuating that a rematch with ‘The Black Beast’ would be next for reigning UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, the promotion shocked fight fans today with the announcement of Lewis vs. Gane.
Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane future UFC betting odds released
Adam D Martin - June 28, 2021
The future betting odds have been released for a potential fight between UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and challenger Ciryl Gane. Gane defeated Alexander Volkov in the main event of UFC Vegas 30 this past Saturday to improve to 9-0 in MMA including a 6-0 mark in the Octagon. Following the fight, Gane said that he intends to sit out and wait for a title shot against Ngannou, who is slated to take on Derrick Lewis in a rematch in his first UFC heavyweight title defense. The UFC has not confirmed the Ngannou vs. Gane fight by any means, but with this matchup a future possibility, the oddsmakers have opened the odds for a potential fight between the two.
Don Frye interested in making a comeback: “I’d love to fight Francis Ngannou”
Adam D Martin - June 24, 2021
UFC Hall of Famer Don Frye says he wants to make a comeback in MMA, and he wants to fight UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou next. Frye, who is now 55 years old, has not competed in MMA since a KO loss to Ruben “Warpath” Villareal in December 2011. For the past decade, Frye has mostly spent it out of the limelight, but after taking 10 years away from the fighting, “The Predator” is now hoping to make a comeback in 2021, and he already has his next opponent in mind.
Ovince Saint Preux will not be staying at heavyweight after training with UFC champ Francis Ngannou: “I know how to stay in my lane”
Adam D Martin - June 24, 2021
Ovince Saint Preux will not be staying at heavyweight after training with UFC champ Francis Ngannou, saying “I know how to stay in my lane.” Saint Preux returns to the Octagon on Saturday in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 30 when he takes on Tanner Boser in a short-notice heavyweight bout. Saint Preux was originally set to take on Maxim Grishin on this card at light heavyweight, but after Grishin pulled out of the fight with an injury, the UFC asked him to move up to heavyweight to take on Boser and stay on the card. Although Saint Preux only has one heavyweight bout in the UFC to his name, a split decision defeat to Ben Rothwell last year, he had no problem saying yes to the opportunity to move up and fight Boser in order to keep a fight booked.
Francis Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis 2 reportedly delayed until at least September
Adam D Martin - June 23, 2021
The rematch between UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and rival Derrick Lewis has reportedly delayed until at least September. The UFC has been planning on having Ngannou and Lewis headline UFC 265, which is tentatively scheduled to take place on August 7 in Houston, Texas. However, it appears as though the promotion has run into a scheduling conflict and the fight between Ngannou and Lewis has now been delayed. According to MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, Ngannou vs. Lewis is a “long shot” to take place at UFC 265, and instead, September seems more likely.
Francis Ngannou wants Jon Jones next, not Derrick Lewis: "I love that fight"
Adam D Martin - June 11, 2021
UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is still holding out hope that he will fight Jon Jones next and not Derrick Lewis. Ngannou knocked out Stipe Miocic in March at UFC 260 to become the new heavyweight champion of the world. For his first title defense he was fully expected to fight Jones, but the UFC and Jones have not been able to come to terms on a new contract for this heavyweight superfight. With Jones temporarily out of the picture, UFC president Dana White has confirmed that Lewis will be next in line for a belt coming off of a KO win over Curtis Blaydes. The plan is for them to headline UFC 265 in August in Houston, Texas.
Nate Diaz shares his thoughts on Francis Ngannou’s recent pay complaint: “You should’ve listened to your daddy years ago”
Adam D Martin - June 9, 2021
UFC star Nate Diaz shared his thoughts on Francis Ngannou’s recent pay complaint, saying “you should’ve listened to your daddy years ago.” Ngannou recently took to social media to ask what UFC fighters are doing wrong when YouTubers-turned-boxers such as Jake Paul and Logan Paul are making millions in boxing. Ngannou is far from the only UFC fighter to openly question fighter pay, but he is one of the most prominent as he’s the UFC heavyweight champion. In an interview with Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, Diaz fired back at Ngannou for his recent pay complaints, suggesting that he should have listened to Diaz a long time ago when it came to the fighter pay in the UFC.
Stipe Miocic is "100 percent" confident he can beat Francis Ngannou in potential trilogy: "I know what I did wrong"
Cole Shelton - May 31, 2021
Stipe Miocic knows he has what it takes to beat Francis Ngannou. At UFC 260, Miocic suffered a second-round KO loss to Ngannou to lose his heavyweight title. Since then, he has been in the gym training and has talked about wanting the trilogy. Although Ngannou is likely to face Derrick Lewis next, Miocic says he wants the trilogy fight as he knows he can get the win.
Colby Covington claims Jon Jones is trying to get one final cash grab with Francis Ngannou fight: "He’s done, he doesn’t have the right scientist, the right juice to do anymore."
Chris Taylor - May 29, 2021
Colby Covington believes Jon Jones as trying to get one final “cash grab” by securing a fight with current UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Jones (26-1 MMA) vacated his light heavyweight title last summer in hopes of making a run at the promotions heavyweight championship. It was initially thought that ‘Bones’ would fight the winner of March’s rematch between Francis Ngannou and Stipe Miocic.
Francis Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis 2 targeted for August in Houston
Cole Shelton - May 26, 2021
Francis Ngannou will be in enemy territory when he defends his heavyweight title for the first time. After Ngannou knocked out Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 the plan was for him to face Jon Jones. However, “Bones” and the UFC couldn’t come to an agreement. Following that, Dana White revealed Derrick Lewis would be getting the next shot. Now, White has revealed to Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports the rematch will likely take place in August and in Houston, Texas where Lewis is from.
Stipe Miocic hoping for Francis Ngannou trilogy by early 2022: "I really would love to fight Francis again for the rematch"
Adam D Martin - May 26, 2021
Stipe Miocic is hoping for the Francis Ngannou trilogy by early 2022, saying “I really would love to fight Francis again for the rematch.” Miocic lost the UFC heavyweight title in March at UFC 260 when he was brutally knocked out by Ngannou in the pair’s rematch. The fight was one-sided for Ngannou and so Miocic won’t get an immediate rematch despite the fact that he dominated Ngannou the first time they fought in 2018. Instead of Miocic being granted the rematch, the UFC has given the next title shot against Ngannou to Derrick Lewis, and the two will likely meet this summer.