“It’s 1000% not all about the money,” Francis Ngannou’s manager details the problem with the UFC on “The Predator’s” deal

“It’s 1000% not all about the money,” Francis Ngannou’s manager details the problem with the UFC on “The Predator’s” deal

Marquel Martin and Francis Ngannou

UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou is at the peak of his career and for the fans, the Cameroonian mixed martial artist can go on to become the greatest heavyweight of all time if he keeps knocking out his opponents left and right. Ngannou is on building a serious resume for his future and his legacy which already includes knockout wins over former world champions, Junior Dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, Cain Velasquez, and Stipe Miocic.

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At UFC 270, Ngannou is going to face the interim UFC heavyweight champion, Cyril Gane. Gane is no such ordinary deal. Within his 10th professional bout, Gane technically knocked out Derrick Lewis to become the interim UFC heavyweight champion and won that belt over someone who already has a decision victory over Ngannou. UFC 270 takes place on January 23, 2022, at Honda Center, Anaheim, USA. The card also has a co-main event of a trilogy fight between UFC Flyweight Champion Brandon Moreno and preceding champion Deveison Figueiredo.

Marquel Martin ready to get the deal done, open to anything that makes sense to Francis Ngannou and the UFC

Dana White and Francis Ngannou
UFC President Dana White and UFC Heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou

Behind all the glory Ngannou has in the UFC, there’s a critical situation going on backstage that can turn the course of his career forever. After the title unification fight in January, it seems like Ngannou has to renegotiate his contract to extend his fight tenure in the UFC or else he has to leave the company. Previously, UFC President Dana White said in an ESPN interview that Ngannou doesn’t have many fights left in his tenure and also subtly took a dig at Ngannou’s manager, Marquel Martin about Ngannou’s representation being not good.

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Martin, on the other hand, decided to show up to a podcast named Throwing Down, which is hosted by former WWE correspondent Renee Young and former UFC Women’s Bantamweight champion Miesha Tate. He made some clarifications about the ongoing contentious situation between him and the UFC that is causing problems in Ngannou’s deal for the future in the UFC.

Dana White and Marquel Martin
Dana White and Marquel Martin

“Let me make it clear, it’s not all about money, it’s 1000% not about money, and they know that,” said Martin. “But, at the end of the day, UFC has a business model, that’s how they run it with all their fighters. They can’t you know put themselves in a situation to establish precedence that will negatively reflect them. So that’s kind of like the rub. They know our position [and] we are open to getting the deal done… If they have an offer that makes sense and to Francis then we are open to it.”

“But at the end, we know where we are at, they made it pretty clear where they are at. It’s pretty unfortunate to say this but it feels like a standoff, but it’s really not it’s just that we would love to be with the UFC… but they chose to go about the way that they’ve gone and we don’t feel is right,” Martin concluded.

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What do you make of Marquel Martin’s assessment of Francis Ngannou’s deal with the UFC? It really is something of a surprise when you will know that Martin was also a former employee working in the UFC but the business relationship of the past isn’t doing any good on the situation. Also, Martin’s other fighter, Kevin Lee was released from the UFC not long ago, only to end up being on an even better deal with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC. What is your assessment of the entire situation?

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