against Ciryl Gane, “it will stop in two rounds with a KO”

RFI: Francis Ngannou, less than a week before your Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) world heavyweight championship against Ciryl Gane, what state of mind are you in? Are you still so serene or is the tension starting to rise a little?

Francis Ngannou : Within a week, blood pressure begins to rise, which is normal. That’s what gets the adrenaline pumping, until the day of the fight. But, overall, I’m in a pretty good frame of mind.

You will find Ciryl Gane with whom you trained in Paris for a few months. At the time, did you immediately feel that he could be a serious rival in the UFC?

Yes, I have always known that. Because, even then, Ciryl had qualities that were rare in heavyweights: agility and speed.

You will also find your former coach Fernand Lopez with whom you are cold. Should we put feelings aside, more than ever, in this fight?

Yes, because I’m fighting Ciryl! He is my opponent. It is with him that I will be in the cage. Despite everything that is happening, it is with him that I will settle the account of this fight.

In an interview on RFI, the Nigerian Kamaru Usman gave his analysis of your next fight: “ Francis is a war machine, he is very, very powerful and he likes to be in mode “control of operations” during a fight. But Gane is also powerful, and he has a quality that is not common among UFC fighters: he fights without pressure to lose, because he seems super confident in his abilities. But, above all, he fights every fight with great serenity. It’s a big quality. Francis is the favorite, but it’s going to be a fight of titans. » Do you agree with your friend?

Yes, I share it! Like I said, Ciryl has some very rare qualities at heavyweight. […] It creates another dynamic in the category, another form of challenge. With the exception of Stipe Miocic, for example, it’s hard to find another fighter who is going to be as agile as Ciryl.

Your prediction for this fight against Ciryl Gane?

As always, it will stop in two rounds with a knockout. That’s always been my prediction. The first round, I try to seek. And if the opportunity does not arise in the first round, I engage in the second round with more pressure.

This is the first time you are facing a fight as world champion, after your title won in March 2021 against the American Stipe Miocic. Does it change anything to prepare a fight with this status?

In the way of preparing for a fight, no. But in terms of the state of mind, it changes a bit. Becoming a champion is one thing. But staying there is another. It’s even better and therefore more complicated to achieve. Not just complicated, either. Being a champion involves a lot of work, a lot of responsibility. So the way to approach the fight is a little different, because there is a little more pressure when you are only a challenger. We have a lot more to lose than to gain when we are champions.

► To read also: MMA: Cameroonian Francis Ngannou, crowned by force of will

What hasn’t really changed is your relationship with UFC executives. You have not extended your contract which is about to expire. Concretely, what is the UFC refusing you, currently?

In fact, it’s not just “currently”. The UFC and I have been on this contract issue for a long time. It’s been over two years. It was after my victory against Junior Dos Santos which took place at the end of June 2019. There was a first attempt. Then they backtracked in August 2019. After that, around October, they came back to the table and started wanting to do a contract extension. I didn’t have too much pressure about that.

Because I had every intention of fighting until the end or almost of my contract, in order to have a balanced position and thus renegotiate my contract in good and due form. Because, when you renegotiate a contract in the middle of the lease in question, you are given the impression of renegotiating when you are not actually renegotiating. They just give you a small advance that forces you to re-sign for longer. And that’s how you never get out of a contract. Until the day they decide to dump you for X or Y reasons.

That’s why I didn’t want to sign this contract. Because this contract is actually one-sided. There are no guarantees for you, the fighter. There is nothing protecting you. There are plenty of obligations to the organization, but the organization has no obligations to you. You don’t even have health insurance. You have nothing ! The UFC has no obligation to arrange a fight for you. They can use that as financial pressure.

That’s what happened in the last two years where they made me fight almost once a year because I didn’t want to sign a contract. Knowing that I don’t earn much per fight, they wanted to install financial pressure. That is to say, let me hang around for a while, until I reach the end of my savings and thus be obliged to accept their offer. It’s a strategy they use very well. But there is no question of renouncing our main idea.

Is it more difficult to weigh in the negotiations against the UFC when you come from a country and a continent that does not yet represent a large market? Or does it have nothing to do with being African?

The UFC is a good negotiator. They will use all possible assets to devalue you and pay you less. It is true that coming from a continent where sport is not very developed, it is an asset for them. They will tell you: Ah yes, but in Africa, there is not this! »

On the other hand, it’s been almost as long as I’ve been asking them to organize an event for us in Africa. We want a UFC event in Africa. But they tell us: What are we looking for in Africa? There is nothing ! How are we going to get out of this and pay our fees? »

So, yes, it is more difficult. But, believe me, it’s not easy for anyone! Because it’s not like Americans get away with the UFC too! (He’s laughing)

Since we are talking about the African continent, there is the African Cup of Nations (CAN) football right now in your country Cameroon. Do you follow CAN 2022 a little, despite the preparation for your fight?

Yes, but I can’t watch the matches because it’s difficult to find a broadcaster here. It’s not on ESPN and channels like that. But I still closely follow the news of the CAN, especially for Cameroon. I know that we had qualified for the second round and that we drew 1-1 against Cape Verde. [1]

What inspires you to see your country hosting this CAN 2022, after so many years of effort?

It is fun and joy that this is taking place in Cameroon, despite the health crisis and everything that has happened in recent years. We still managed to stay the course and meet the requirements of CAF.

Is it a total coincidence that your fight at UFC 270 takes place on a day when there is no AFCON match between the first round and the round of 16?

I think it’s a coincidence because the UFC should not have been interested in the CAN calendar! (He’s laughing)

So, it was not you who asked that your fight not take place on the same day as CAN meetings?

No, believe me. For that, they do not ask you!

After your fight against Ciryl Gane, do you plan to return to Cameroon to see CAN 2022 matches or will it be too complicated?

It will depend… I would like to. Afterwards, it is possible that I will be forced to stay in the United States because of obligations, although my will is to go to Cameroon. I even wish I was in Cameroon right now, if you want to know. But I have professional obligations! (He smiles)

[1] Interview conducted on January 17.