“He stayed calm and polite,” Francis Ngannou changed Chael Sonnen’s opinion on UFC negotiations- here’s how

MMA Legend Chael Sonnen is all in when it comes to the debate about how a fight deal should be carried out and how do you do things you want to do while staying in your lane with the promotion. Hence, Sonnen had to give his piece on what’s going on between the UFC and its heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

Ever since Ngannou won the biggest fight of his MMA career at UFC 270 when he dominated his former teammate Ciryl Gane and won the fight 3 rounds to two via unanimous decision, Ngannou is going on back and forth about his future deal with the UFC in which he wants a contract that allows him to pursue his boxing career which is his dream.

However, the UFC doesn’t seem to like the idea and it seems like Ngannou might leave the promotion for once and for all, making him relinquish the heavyweight belt as well. Therefore, Ngannou might be on a verge of losing some value to his name if he pursues boxing while dissociating himself from the promotion that built the brand around him and itself is the biggest company for MMA in the world ie. the UFC itself.

Francis Ngannou’s post-fight press conference made Chael Sonnen change his opinion

Sonnen took to his Youtube channel to discuss Ngannou’s way of steering the course of his career as a combat sports athlete and for someone who believes in the corporation with the company being the key to success, Sonnen was surprisingly impressed with Ngannou’s temperament ahead of dealing with the situation, despite a clear back and forth between him and the UFC as was evident when the UFC President Dana White didn’t come over to wrap the heavyweight belt around Ngannou’s face after he won at UFC 270.

“Whether you like that position that Francis is in this position, of digging in, and wanting to change his contract or not. You’ve to admit that Francis has done nothing wrong,“ says Sonnen. “You can’t argue with who does it above board and the only reason we know where Francis stands is he has told everybody, whoever he is dealing with he for sure has told this is where I stand and whatever happens to me after this is going to be your decision, but this is where I stand…”

“My opinion of Francis did change at the post-fight press conference, it really did, because Francis was polite,” Sonnen continued. “Francis maybe has the right to be angry, this might turn into a back and forth, and things might get ugly [but] Francis stayed calm and he stayed polite,“ concluded Sonnen.

What do you think of Sonnen’s initial assessment of Ngannou’s way of dealing with the situation? Do you think Ngannou’s plea with the UFC to stay intact with him and his aspirations in professional boxing will be accepted? How do you see Ngannou steering the course of his career, will he remain a mixed-martial artist or will he turn to a boxing megastar for once and for all from now onwards?

Also Read UFC 270 Salaries, Francis Ngannou is the highest earner, Michel Pereira only fighter with 6-figure income in a non-title fight