{"id":297273,"date":"2023-11-11T23:44:39","date_gmt":"2023-11-11T23:44:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allmysportsnews.com\/?p=297273"},"modified":"2023-11-11T23:44:39","modified_gmt":"2023-11-11T23:44:39","slug":"dana-white-missed-a-trick-with-francis-ngannou-the-ufc-needs-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allmysportsnews.com\/ufc\/dana-white-missed-a-trick-with-francis-ngannou-the-ufc-needs-control\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Dana White missed a trick with Francis Ngannou \u2013 the UFC needs control’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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    Dana White once categorically stated that Francis Ngannou "wants to take zero risk".<\/p>\n

    It was a surprising comment when he said it in 2022 and even more astonishing on the back of the ex-UFC heavyweight champion's remarkable showing against Tyson Fury in the 'Battle of the Baddest' a fortnight ago (October 28). <\/p>\n

    Despite suffering a split-decision loss to the WBC boxing heavyweight champion in a fight many believed Ngannou had done enough to win, the 37-year-old was declared the 'king of combat sports' by Dan Hardy who exclusively told Daily Star Sport<\/b> that the UFC CEO missed a trick with the heavyweight when he wasn't able to re-sign him.<\/p>\n

    READ MORE: Tyson Fury only seventh on all-time richest fighters list \u2013 despite '\u00a350m pay' for Ngannou fight<\/b><\/p>\n

    READ MORE: 'Tyson Fury would have got the pound of the century from Francis Ngannou in MMA'<\/b><\/p>\n

    "Absolutely," the ex-UFC star answered when asked if the UFC missed out on Ngannou. "This is the issue with the UFC is their need for control and their lack of wanting to support fighters to chasing other goals of theirs. He allowed Conor McGregor to go fight Floyd Mayweather but that was probably a little bit because he was intrigued himself and a little bit because he was making a load of cash off the back of it."<\/p>\n

    The need of control Hardy mentioned has been a recurring theme for the UFC as he added that the company previously stopped UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva from realising his boxing dreams. "But [White] also stopped Anderson Silva when he wanted to box Roy Jones Jr and that negatively affected Anderson's attitude towards the UFC and we got a couple really bad fights from him.<\/p>\n

    Is Francis Ngannou the king of combat sports? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    "You could tell he was upset because he wanted to box Roy Jones." Hardy – who is now the Director of Fighter Operations for PFL Europe – said the UFC would not have given Ngannou any sort of control which is a decision that led him to signing with the PFL who gave the opportunity to enter the boxing realm.<\/p>\n

    "I think they would have given Ngannou money but they wouldn't have given him control or autonomy," Hardy claimed. "They didn't want to allow him to box and that's where they tripped up ultimately."<\/p>\n

    The Nottingham native called White a "great politician" who'll spin the story in a way which will suit the UFC. "If it was Jon Jones that left the UFC and wanted to fight in boxing then it would have been 'Jones wants to fight lesser opponents and he doesn't want to take risks'."<\/p>\n