Francis Ngannou Frustrated With Lack Of Viable Options
Francis Ngannou’s last three fights lasted a combined total of two minutes and twenty two seconds. There was a point when Ngannou stared down the barrel, losing two consecutive fights to Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis. However, ‘The Predator’ has since bounced back with dominant performances, and has once again clawed his way back to the top of the food chain.
Francis wants to avenge his loss to Stipe and win the UFC heavyweight title. However, according to the fighter, he is frustrated at the lack of viable options for him to fight. Not only are all the top contenders booked, but he says the options presented to him don’t make sense.
“They have to do something with me”, Ngannou told MMA Junkie. “Okay, so what is that? I want the damn answer. I want to know what’s my position. I want to know what I’m doing here. I’m the No. 2 (heavyweight), and everyone is booked. I’m just here looking like, I don’t know, some guy desperate to get a fight.”
Francis Ngannou (14-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) currently finds himself perched atop of the heavyweight rankings. However, with Daniel Cormier likely to fight Stipe Miocic next, Francis finds himself stranded.
“Actually, in my position, the only fight I’ll be running to is the title – but I don’t know if they want to make me run to any fight”, Ngannou said. “Also, I wanted to fight before the end of the year. Like, it doesn’t matter who that is. I have to fight because I get that you guys don’t give much. But even though they don’t care, it’s kind of frustrating. Right now, it’s not something that I’m very happy to talk about. It’s been an exhausting process.”
The heavyweight contender also mentioned that the UFC has given him a few options. However, with where he is at the moment, those fights do not attract ‘The Predator’.
And that just adds to his frustration.
“It’s very frustrating right now, and I kind of (have to) think what to do, what is possible”, Ngannou said. “The only guy in the top 10 that is available right now, as I saw, is Shamil (Abdurakhimov). But Shamil just lost against Curtis Blaydes. Curtis Blaydes doesn’t have a fight, and I fought him twice already. So it’s not some fight that I’m looking for. And that’s all. They said I could wait to see what’s going on Nov. 9, to see maybe if (Alexander) Volkov beats ‘JDS.’ But the problem – first of all, that’s not a fight I’m looking for. And second of all, Volkov turned this fight down twice.
“Why do I have to expect somebody to win a fight or don’t get hurt to accept the fight? ‘I don’t know.’ That was their answer: to wait and see, either in November or in December, to see if Volkov wins or if Walt Harris wins. Then we will see if they want to fight me if they are not injured.”
‘DC’ has already announced that his next fight will be his last, and that the UFC is already working on a trilogy fight with Miocic. With that set to go down in 2020, Ngannou might have to wait a while, if he wants to fight for the title next.
However, the top heavyweight contender isn’t willing to just sit on the sidelines, and believes he should be fighting for the title next.
“They’re going to have to fight the trilogy, but why should I not fight before?” Ngannou said. “I think I deserve this fight, and the problem is, they’re planning to make this like in March. And notice: March is going to be like nine months from my last fight, because my last fight was in June. Then, they’re going to expect if somebody, if the winner doesn’t get hurt, I’m willing to fight in three months. It’s going to go over one year from my last fight, and if something happens, if the winner gets hurt or injured and is going to take time off, then what happens?
“Right now, I don’t know if I’m a fighter or not. My promoter, my boss doesn’t care about me. So this process is kind of exhausting.”
Also Read: