Daniel Cormier rejects the notion that the UFC isn’t blissful for Francis Ngannou’s boxing success.
Ngannou took WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury to a cut up resolution this previous Saturday in Saudi Arabia. Ngannou surpassed everybody’s expectations as he even managed to knock down undefeated Fury in Spherical 3.
Ngannou’s efficiency got here after he parted methods with the UFC earlier this yr whereas nonetheless holding the promotion’s heavyweight title. The 2 sides couldn’t come to an settlement on a brand new contract, with Ngannou’s want to pursue boxing alternatives a sticking level. Ngannou left the UFC and signed with the PFL, which did give him flexibility to field in his contract.
Though UFC CEO Dana White criticized Ngannou’s transfer to PFL earlier this yr, Cormier thinks the previous heavyweight champion’s spectacular boxing debut advantages everybody in MMA – together with the UFC.
“You see Junior dos Santos, Izzy (Adesanya), Kamaru (Usman), the legend Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture,” Cormier mentioned on his ESPN present “DC & RC.” “So many nice blended martial artists have been in attendance final weekend to observe Francis Ngannou do one thing that was unprecedented, was sudden, and actually did end up higher than anybody ever may have anticipated.
“There’s this concept that the UFC is upset that Francis Ngannou did what he did. Why would they be? Francis Ngannou uplifted your entire sport final weekend. Francis Ngannou went on the market as a blended martial arts world champion and fought the lineal heavyweight champion of the world and misplaced by cut up resolution.”
Cormier scored the struggle 95-94 in favor of Fury however defined what he meant when he mentioned Fury didn’t win the struggle.
“Though Tyson Fury gained the ‘boxing match’ as a result of he gained the ‘boxing match,’ he didn’t win a struggle,” Cormier mentioned. “He didn’t win the struggle towards Francis Ngannou. Francis gained that. He gained the ‘boxing match,’ and he gained the scorecards. Who in the end misplaced the night time was Tyson Fury. Francis gained.”
For extra on the matchup, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for Fury vs. Ngannou.
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