Francis Ngannou blames decline of heavyweight MMA on 'mismanagement'

Francis Ngannou thinks heavyweight MMA isn't where it used to be. Ngannou (18-3) parted ways with the UFC in 2023 as heavyweight champion. The split was far from amicable , but Ngannou managed to pursue his dreams of lacing up the gloves twice against two of the biggest names in Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

He has only competed once in MMA since, when he knocked out Renan Ferreira in the first round to win the PFL Super Fights heavyweight title in October 2024. "The Predator" points to UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall 's current rift with the promotion as a sign that heavyweight MMA is struggling. "I think there is a lot of, I would say, mismanagement," Ngannou told The Schmo on the state of heavyweight MMA.

"There is a lot of mismanagement that sometimes gets stuff screwed up, and then that's where we are today. You see, even now, there's a lot of heavyweights out there like Tom Aspinall. He's having troubles with this.

"I think there's a mismanagement. You see all these situations that don't come and entertain. When I say mismanagement, I wasn't talking about, like, managers.