By Israel Adesanya has voiced his frustration over the UFC’s apparent attempt to downplay Francis Ngannou’s contributions to the sport. In the lead-up to UFC 305, a promotional video highlighted Adesanya’s past comments about the prominent African champions, including Ngannou, who once held the UFC heavyweight title alongside Adesanya and Kamaru Usman, the welterweight champion.
However, the edited video omitted Ngannou’s name, a move that Adesanya finds troubling. Despite acknowledging that the UFC has business interests and rivalries, Adesanya insists that Ngannou’s impact on the sport cannot be erased.
“You can’t erase Francis’ legacy in the UFC,” Adesanya said at the UFC 305 media day. “It’s part of what we’ve done. It’s forever in history, in stone. So trying to whitewash it or just not talk about it is silly.”
Ngannou’s departure from the UFC came after he publicly criticized the organization over his contract, seeking greater freedom to pursue boxing—a dream he has since realized. Ngannou is now signed with PFL and is scheduled to fight Renan Ferreira on October 19, following his bouts against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Adesanya, while recognizing the UFC’s competitive stance against Ngannou and PFL, believes that history should be honored. “He’s an [integral] part of what we’ve done in the UFC,” Adesanya said. “You can never erase history. The streets, the internet will always remember.”
Despite the professional split, Adesanya remains supportive of Ngannou. He continues to keep in touch with his former colleague and is eager to see him return to action in the PFL, especially following the recent tragic loss of Ngannou’s young son.
“I’m happy for him,” Adesanya remarked. “He just went through something that I would never wish on anyone. We’ve talked. I’ve checked up on him. Again, I respect Francis so much.”
