{"id":37956,"date":"2026-04-27T15:36:44","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T15:36:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sherdog.com\/news\/news\/Francis-Ngannou-blames-mismanagement-for-downfall-of-heavyweight-MMA-200978"},"modified":"2026-04-27T15:36:44","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T15:36:44","slug":"francis-ngannou-blames-mismanagement-for-downfall-of-heavyweight-mma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.martialartskleinanzeigen.com\/videos\/francis-ngannou-blames-mismanagement-for-downfall-of-heavyweight-mma\/","title":{"rendered":"Francis Ngannou blames ‘mismanagement’ for downfall of heavyweight MMA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Francis
\nNgannou<\/a> believes promotions are to blame for the downfall of
\nheavyweight MMA in recent times. <\/p>\n

While the heavyweight division once used to be the crown jewel of
\nMMA promotions, that is no longer the case. With barely any
\ncompetition left at the highest level, the UFC is widely considered
\nthe biggest promotion. Even the
\nUFC<\/a> has been unable to get things working smoothly for its
\nheavyweight division. <\/p>\n

\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Ngannou (18-3) believes \u201cmismanagement\u201d has led to the current
\nplight of the heavyweight division. Ngannou clarifies that he is
\nnot blaming the managers of fighters, but rather the promotions.
\nThe former UFC heavyweight champion notes that current heavyweight
\nchampion Tom
\nAspinall<\/a> is not on the best terms with the UFC.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would say mismanagement,\u201d Ngannou told The Schmo<\/a>. \u201cThere is a lot of mismanagement that
\nsometimes gets stuff screwed up. That\u2019s where we\u2019re at today\u2026 Like
\nTom
\nAspinall<\/a> is having troubles\u2026 When I said mismanagement, I
\nwasn\u2019t talking about manager. I was talking mostly about the
\npromotion.\u201d <\/p>\n

Tough Times at Heavyweight<\/h2>\n

The UFC heavyweight division hasn\u2019t been what it used to be for
\nquite a while now. However, the current decline probably started
\nwith Ngannou\u2019s rift with the UFC. After winning the UFC heavyweight
\ntitle against Stipe
\nMiocic<\/a> in 2021, Ngannou kept waiting for a fight against
\nJon
\nJones<\/a>, which never came to fruition. Ngannou eventually
\ndefended his title against Ciryl Gane<\/a>
\nbefore getting into a lengthy contract dispute with the UFC over
\nvarious demands, like health insurance for fighters, permission to
\ncompete in crossover boxing, etc. Ngannou eventually parted ways
\nwith the UFC in 2023 and signed with the
\nProfessional Fighters League<\/a>. The PFL contract allowed Ngannou
\nto compete in boxing, and he made the most of it by fighting
\nAnthony
\nJoshua<\/a> and Tyson Fury<\/a>,
\nalbeit coming up short on both occasions. However, Ngannou competed
\nonly once in the PFL, dethroning heavyweight champion Renan
\nFerreira<\/a> in 2024. Ngannou recently parted ways with the PFL and
\nsigned with Jake Paul<\/a>\u2019s
\n
\nMost Valuable Promotions<\/a>, where he is scheduled to compete
\nagainst fellow UFC alum Philipe
\nLins<\/a> on May 16. <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Jones won the vacant UFC title against Gane after
\nNgannou departed from the UFC. Jones stalled the division for more
\nthan a year while defending his title against Miocic. Jones kept
\navoiding the interim champion, Tom
\nAspinall<\/a>, allegedly over money, before retiring last year.
\nAfter getting promoted to undisputed champ, Aspinall put his title
\non the line against Ciryl Gane<\/a>
\nat UFC 321<\/a>
\nthis past October. However, the fight ended in an anticlimactic
\nno-contest after Aspinall was left unable to continue due to a
\ndouble eye-poke by Gane in the first round. Dana White was
\nseemingly disappointed with Aspinall\u2019s decision not to continue and
\nhinted at the same publicly. Aspinall also lashed out at White for
\ndownplaying his injury. Gane is now scheduled to fight Alex
\nPereira<\/a> for the interim heavyweight title at the White House on
\nJune 14. <\/p>\n