Big' John McCarthy slams narrative that Francis Ngannou "ran away" from the UFC

Francis Ngannou is the latest entrant to test the free agency waters after Dana White announced that the UFC has stopped pursuing the Cameroonian to resign with the organization.

Ngannou was subsequently stripped off the heavyweight championship and Jon Jones will make his octagon return to battle Ciryl Gane for the vacant throne.

Ngannou and the top brass of the UFC have been embroiled in contract disputes for quite some time now. The latest narrative proposed by Dana White suggests that Ngannou wants to pursue easier fights for a hefty sum.

Several fighters, fans, and analysts have slammed the UFC for propagating the idea that Francis Ngannou is avoiding competitive fights. John McCarthy expressed the same opinion on Twitter, writing:

Following Francis Ngannou's departure, former lightweight contender exposes UFC negotiation tactics

Francis Ngannou is officially free to pursue other opportunities outside of the UFC. Since the organization did not meet Ngannou's demands to include the flexibility to pursue boxing matches, negotiations between the parties have fallen apart.

Dana White stated that the UFC offered 'The Predator' multiple lucrative contracts that would have made him the highest-paid heavyweight fighter in UFC history. The promotion has also attempted to propagate the notion that Ngannou left the UFC to pursue easier matchups outside of the promotion.

Former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez criticized the UFC for spreading this narrative. Fellow lightweight contender Gray Maynard, who competed in the UFC between 2007 and 2018, echoed the same sentiment.

He took to Twitter to expose the UFC and their attempts to defame fighters who leave the organization:

About the author

Abhishek Ramadasan Nambiar is a journalist who covers MMA at Sportskeeda. As a long-time practitioner of various martial arts, seeing the fusion of different forms into a quest for the ultimate fighter felt both primal and profoundly technical. At Sportskeeda, Abhishek's primary goal is to offer a fresh and distinctive angle through his writing, aiming to provide readers with more than just the basics of MMA. Along with keeping them informed about the latest developments in the sport, he strives to offer valuable insights that enhance their understanding of MMA.

When not writing about MMA, Abhishek often spends time reviewing music or devouring Brian Evanson's and Blake Crouch's work. Sign up to receive news, regular updates, and exclusive coverage.

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