UFC Threatens To Sue Francis N’gannou And Team
UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has revealed that the UFC is threatening to sue his team for talking with Jake Paul’s manager and business partner, Nakisa Bidarian about a potential boxing match. Bidarian is the former chief financial officer of the UFC and now the co-founder of Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions company.
On Monday, January 24, 2022, while speaking with Ariel Helwani on “The MMA Hour,” Ngannou said that just hours before his fight with Gane on Sunday, his team received a statement that the UFC was going to sue them for speaking with Bidarian.
“Going into the arena, I dressed up. I put my suit on and I walked to the room waiting for my manager and my coach. And they were like, ‘Wow.’ And I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ They told me they just received an email from the UFC that said they are going to sue us for talking with this guy, Nakisa Bidarian. And I’m like, ‘Who is Nakisa?’ They told me I don’t know him pretty much, but he’s somebody from Jake Paul’s team. And now I’m like, ‘Is he a promoter or something?’ And they’re like, ‘No.’
Recall that Ngannou, the Cameroonian-born UFC Heavyweight champion recently defended his title by defeating Cyryl Gane. Ngannou “The Predator” however criticized the UFC; citing his pay, the restrictions on his contract, and the way he’s been treated by the body.
Ngannou told the media during the UFC 270 post-fight press conference that he will be a free agent if he decides to sit out for a year. And he is willing to do if he can’t find common ground with the promotion and UFC president Dana White.
Surprisingly, White Wasn’t Present to Award Ngannou the Belt when he won.
It is also surprising that when Ngannou was declared the winner at UFC 270, the UFC’s president didn’t wrap the belt around his waist as expected. White wasn’t in the Octagon and he didn’t attend the post-fight press conference either – even more surprising.
According to many, there seems to be a war between WME-IMG and Ngannou’s management, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which is an industry rival.
UFC Threatens To Sue Francis N’gannou And Team
