Francis Ngannou released: Did Dana White really offer him a bigger paycheck than WWE's Brock Lesnar?

Francis Ngannou being released is one of the main topics in sports today, and it looks like an offer not even made to former UFC megastar Brock Lesnar was not enough to make him stay.

The Predator is one of the most feared and powerful fighters, not just in the heavyweight division but possibly in the entire roster. He won the promotion's Heavyweight championship in a rematch with Stipe Miocic in March 2021. His first title defense came in January 2022, wherein he defeated Ciryl Gane via unanimous decision.

After a longstanding contract dispute with the UFC regarding his salary, Dana White officially announced that Ngannou was stripped of his title and released from the company despite offering a high contract. The UFC president even compared it to the salary of Brock Lesnar and another legendary fighter, Fedor Emelianenko.

Comparing the offers of the two former UFC Heavyweight Champions, Francis' contract must have been a fortune. Despite losing his first fight in the promotion against Frank Mir, Brock earned $250,000. The six fights that came after saw him earn at least $400,000 per fight. Brock's special appearance at UFC 200 also saw him bag more than $2 million, despite a deduction of $250,000 for failing a drug test.

There have been rumors that Francis Ngannou might fight for the PFL after being released. Meanwhile, the vacant Heavyweight Championship is now on the line against Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane.

Francis Ngannou released: The former UFC Heavyweight Champion once entertained a fight with Brock Lesnar

A fight between The Predator and The Beast inside the octagon looks to be over, especially since the latter has since retired from MMA. However, UFC fighters performing in the WWE does happen from time to time.

Given Francis Ngannou's fame and championship title, it's no wonder why he receives multiple offers from various UFC fighters. In an interview with Ariel Helwani from MMAFighting, he once shared his excitement for fighting the Beast Incarnate.

"It's up to what (the UFC) want to give me. There are a lot of people out there who want to fight me," he said, discussing recent callouts from other contenders. "By myself, I want Brock. Brock Lesnar." [H/T Bleacher Report]

From the looks of it, Francis Ngannou might remain in the field of combat sports. Still, it will truly be interesting to see what he will do in the Stamford-based wrestling promotion if he does decide to show up.