Francis Ngannou’s name recently stirred headlines again when his head coach hinted that “The Predator” might be open to returning to the UFC. The idea spread quickly, and even Jon Jones reacted to the possibility. But beyond the speculation, Ngannou remains committed to the PFL and still has his eyes on another big-money boxing match something the UFC never truly offered him.
While some fans cling to hope for a UFC return, Matt Brown doesn’t believe Ngannou will ever fight there again. More importantly, the former UFC slugger thinks Ngannou’s decision to walk away damaged how the MMA world remembers him.
“Legacy wise, he’s already forgotten in terms of the heavyweight division in MMA. Legacy wise, I think it damaged his legacy tremendously,” Matt Brown said on The Fighter vs. The Writer. “Had he won those boxing matches, that would have obviously helped his legacy a shit ton. For instance, after he fought Tyson Fury the first time, and a lot of us believe that he won, it was pretty close, debatable, but I would argue he probably won. I don’t think anybody was arguing that it was a bad move at that point.”
Ngannou shocked the world by dropping Fury in their bout, but he lost by decision. Then came the brutal knockout at the hands of Anthony Joshua. After nearly three years away from MMA, Ngannou returned to the cage and finished Renan Ferreira in the PFL but the buzz around his name had already shifted.
According to Matt Brown, that shift in perception is what really cost Ngannou.
“It was after he lost and now the UFC is like whatever bro, do your thing,” Brown said. “Now everybody is asking if it was a mistake. But he made more money in those two matches than he would have made fighting in the UFC for the next 10 years. Was it a mistake on that part? No, but his legacy is going to suffer. He’s not going to be in the talks for the best heavyweight ever, period.”
Brown believes the boxing losses “humanized” Ngannou and chipped away at the mythical aura he built during his UFC reign. But even with that reputational hit, Brown isn’t ignoring the numbers.
“Financially, again, it lined his pockets,” Brown said. “He did great. Ultimately that’s what this is it’s prizefighting. He got the biggest prize. Who are we to say he made a mistake? So it depends on what you care about. Look, he made his money. What it all comes down to if he’s happy with that then good for him. I think it’s tough for us to call it a mistake.”
Ngannou’s UFC departure came after a lengthy contract dispute that saw him stripped of his title. He walked away as champion, determined to take control of his own future. For Brown, that move wasn’t just about pay it was about power.
“I’m going to guess where Francis is also looking as a pure businessman the business side of it his opposition to that is going to be, well this fight brought in just arbitrary numbers, $100 million, and I’m getting $3 million of that and the UFC is getting $97 million of it. Where in boxing, I’m getting $50 million of it and they’re getting $50 million of it,” Brown explained. “He’s going to be like, why am I selling myself short here?”
Brown believes Ngannou’s motivation went deeper than money.
“Regardless of whether I need $50 million or $3 million would make me happy for the rest of my life, you feel like you’re being used a little bit,” he said. “I think honestly that was probably a bigger role in it than him feeling like he needed that much money. Him feeling like he’s a cog in the wheel versus being the wheel, or just being used for something.”
Ngannou got what he wanted but the UFC moved on without him. Dana White has made it clear a reunion is unlikely. Meanwhile, the promotion barely acknowledges Ngannou when celebrating its heavyweight history. Even Israel Adesanya called out the UFC for seemingly erasing “The Predator” from its legacy.
For Brown, the story is simple, Ngannou cashed in, but his status in MMA lore took a hit.
“Nobody cares about Francis at this point in terms of MMA. You don’t even hear people talking about him fighting. I don’t know how much people care about him even boxing anymore, but he probably got paid more than any MMA fighter in history except maybe Conor [McGregor],” Brown said. “Does Francis care? Because I can tell you if I was in the situation, and I had $30 million, you probably wouldn’t hear from me either motherf*ckers.”
Ngannou might be done chasing greatness in the traditional sense, and that’s fine by Brown. The money’s been made. The titles were won. But when it comes to legacy, Matt Brown believes Ngannou paid a price no championship belt can replace.
