The Professional Fighters League’s announcement of Francis Ngannou finally having signed a contract made headlines all week in the mixed martial arts community. Donn Davis, the head of PFL, eventually addressed the deal after many misinterpretations.
Donn claims, as part of the agreement Francis struck with PFL, the French-Cameroonian fighter will compete in a Super Fight Division. According to the rules of the PFL PPV Super Fight division, each fighter must get half of the total earned money from a fight. The PFL president also talked about another significant topic in his recent interview with My Mom’s Basement.
PFL founder Donn Davis fires back at Dana White with a corporate comparison 👀 pic.twitter.com/VyTF4ZDmqB
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) May 23, 2023
What did Donn Davis say about Francis Ngannou’s PFL deal?
“Francis was offered more money to go elsewhere. This deal was really about everything OTHER than money. Being chairman of PFL Africa, guarantee opponent pay, min. $1 million. The money we offered him was the same money the UFC were offering him.” Donn said.
This agreement was a momentous one in the history of mixed martial arts, according to the founder of the PFL. With due respect to Ultimate Fighting Championship, Davis stated that the contract benefits the entire MMA community in many ways and not just his business or Francis as a fighter.
Morning Report: PFL’s Donn Davis says ‘everybody won’ in Francis Ngannou deal, UFC ‘made their business decision’ https://t.co/xgkJyecBQd pic.twitter.com/oKSdKD1Dji
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) May 24, 2023
The Predator and The PFL: A Ground-breaking Deal in MMA History?
Francis Ngannou agreed to join the UFC rival not only because they offered him a greater deal in terms of money but also because of the significant role he will play in this new MMA promotion. According to the Cameroonian fighter, the deal is more than an agreement; rather it is a strategic collaboration that will help him and the MMA organization in achieving greater goals.
The big deal includes Ngannou’s position as chairman of PFL Africa. The heavyweight fighter will also be a member of the advisory board for the Professional Fighters League. The former UFC champion has not mentioned how many bouts the deal includes, but he made sure that his opponents get paid $2 million for each fight.
MMA fans … you excited for these PFL PPV Super Fights in 2024?!
Heavyweight World Champion ✅
Crossover Sensation MMA Debut ✅Do. Not. Blink. More PPV Star Fighters Coming to @PFLMMA … pic.twitter.com/tclpQVueWJ
— Donn Davis (@DonnDavisPFL) May 18, 2023
Do you agree with Donn Davis that the Francis Ngannou deal was a win-win for everyone? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.
