After stepping back from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in early 2023, Cameroonian-French professional mixed martial artist Francis Zavier Ngannou went on to join the PFL (Professional Fights League) in May 2023.
The question being asked here is, what does the Francis Ngannou-PFL deal mean for MMA as a sport? Find out more right here.
Why did Ngannou leave MMA?
In January 2023, Francis Ngannou shocked some people in the world of MMA by announcing he was leaving, leading many to wonder where his future may lie. He said he is looking for better contract terms and to sign with someone who will value him more.
As soon as he became a free agent, he expressed his desire to enter the professional world of boxing. Many major organizations, including PFL, ONE Championship, MMA productions, and Bellator, sought to secure deals with him, and eventually, PFL won.
It was announced in May 2023 that the former UFC heavyweight champion had signed a multi-year/multi-fight deal with the PFL (Professional Fighters League).
He already looks set to fight in several pay-per-view events in the Super Fight Division in 2024.
Where can I bet on MMA fights?
If you’re looking for a reputable online sports betting site with the most competitive MMA Odds, the official Unibet website is one of the most trusted sites you can turn to.
Some of the biggest upcoming fights that have yet to be confirmed for later this year that you may soon be able to place a wager on are the Conor McGregor-Michael Chandler fight, and the Amanda Nunes-Valentina Shevchenko fight.
Reasons why the Ngannou-PFL deal is good for MMA
One of the main reasons why the Ngannou deal with the PFL is good for MMA is that it will help to promote the support further on his home continent of Africa. His move to the PFL is also good for the sport for several other reasons.
For example, it shines a light on the fact that the UFC isn’t the only MMA fighting league out there. He has also proved that fighters don’t necessarily have to be locked down to the UFC to get mega-money deals.
It has put a great deal of pressure on the UFC to treat its fighters better, so they also don’t jump ship. It will hopefully improve contracts and see even better deals being negotiated.
His move may cause other fighters to think about leaving the UFC, which the brand cannot afford to happen, so perhaps they will start to treat their fighters more fairly. However, it could have the opposite effect and cause UFC contracts to become even more restrictive.
Ngannou has also gained a position on the advisory board, which means that he and other fighters will have more of a voice in the sport, which can only be a good thing. He will also be pushing for fairer purse distributions.
Which upcoming UFC fights will be worth watching or betting on in June 2023?
On June 3rd, several UFC fights will be taking place. Betting markets are already open for the following upcoming confirmed fights:
- Daniel Santos (4/9) v Johnny Munoz Jr. (8/5), which means Santos is the odds-on favourite to win the fight outright with a 69.20% implied probability rate
- Luan Luiz Lacerda (4/5), v Da’mon Blackshear (19/20), which means Lacerda is the slight odds-on favourite to win the fight outright with a 55.60% implied probability rate
- Karine Silva (11/20) v Ketlen Souza (11/8), which means Silva is the slight odds-on favourite to win the fight outright with a 64.50% implied probability rate
Some of the other fights you can place a wager on right now at sites like Unibet and then look forward to watching in June 2023 are Andrei Arlovski v Don’Tale Mayes, as well as John Castaneda v Mateus Mendonca, and Maxim Grishin v Phillipe Lins, to name just a few.