Francis Ngannou
Biography, Age, Records, Net Worth, Height, Weight, Stats, Nationality, House, Cars & Parents
Francis Ngannou Basic Information
| Stage Name: | The Predator |
| Real Name: | Francis Zavier Ngannou |
| Occupation: | Mixed Martial Artist, UFC Fighter, and Professional Boxer |
| Date Of Birth/Age: | |
| Place of Birth: | Batié, Cameroon |
| Gender: | Male |
| Nationality: | Cameroonian-French |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Education: | – |
| Height: | 6Ft 4In |
| Weight: | 118Kg |
| Net Worth: | $7 Million |
Francis Ngannou Biography
Ngannou was raised in Batié, Cameroon, and was born on September 5, 1986. He was raised in poverty and had minimal formal education.
When Ngannou was six years old, his parents got a divorce, and he was transferred to live with his aunt. Due to a lack of resources, Ngannou began working at 10 in a sand quarry in Batié. He was approached as a young boy to join various gangs in his village. Ngannou declined, choosing instead to use his father’s unfavorable reputation as a street fighter as an inspiration to pursue boxing.
Family
Parents
His parents are Emmanuel Fosso and Mamma Ngannou.
Emmanuel Fosso, Ngannou’s father, had a bad reputation. He was a skilled street fighter with the strength to defeat five to six gang members. Emmanuel passed away from a chronic disease when he was 15 years old. Nine years before his father’s passing, his parents had split.
Siblings
Francis has a sister and three brothers. His family is still employed in the Cameroonian sand industry, but now they are business owners and upper management rather than workers.
Children
Even though he is currently childless, Ngannou prioritizes his job and having a positive influence both inside and outside the ring.
Wife
Ngannou maintains a private life outside of the Octagon. He was seeing Miesha Tate, also a well-known name in the MMA industry, as of 2022.
Lifestyle
Ngannou started boxing training at 22, against his family’s initial opposition. Ngannou stopped working out after a year of training because of an illness. He worked various odd jobs to make ends meet until deciding to move to Paris, France, at the age of 26 to pursue a career in boxing. After arriving in Europe, he was imprisoned for two months in Spain for trespassing. Ngannou arrived in Paris without money, friends, or a place to stay.
He had been homeless on the streets of Paris when he encountered Francis Carmont, who introduced him to Fernand Lopez and the MMA factory. Ngannou was initially interested in learning how to box since he was a fan of Mike Tyson, but Lopez recognized his potential in MMA and persuaded him to give MMA a try. Ngannou’s MMA career was launched by Lopez, who provided him with some MMA equipment and free access to the facility where he could train and rest.
When Ngannou established himself in the mixed martial arts arena, his rise to fame took off. He quickly established himself as one of the most formidable fighters in his weight class thanks to an impressive combination of striking ability, knockout power, and a wide range of skills. In addition, fans and other athletes respected him for his mesmerizing performances inside the Octagon.
In Europe, Ngannou fought primarily in the French promotion 100% Fight and other local promotions after beginning his MMA career in November 2013. He had a 5-1 record before joining the UFC. On December 19, 2015, at UFC on Fox 17, Ngannou faced fellow rookie Luis Henrique in his UFC debut. In the second round, he was knocked out to win the match. On April 10, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 86, Ngannou fought UFC rookie Curtis Blaydes. Due to a medical stoppage after the second round, he prevailed by TKO.
On July 23, 2016, at UFC on Fox 20, Ngannou competed in his next match against Bojan Mihajlovi, a new fighter. In the first round, he secured a TKO victory. After that, on December 9, 2016, Ngannou fought Anthony Hamilton at UFC Fight Night 102. Again, he obtained his first UFC Performance of the Night bonus by winning the match through submission in the opening round.
At UFC on Fox 23, Ngannou took on Andrei Arlovski on January 28, 2017. In the first round, he obtained a TKO victory. Ngannou received his second Performance of the Night bonus for the victory. On September 9, 2017, Ngannou was scheduled to compete against Junior dos Santos at UFC 215. However, on August 18, Dos Santos was removed from the contest after learning of a possible USADA infraction. Ngannou was then taken off the card because a suitable opponent, in the opinion of the promotion’s officials, could not be found.
Ngannou met seasoned Alistair Overeem on December 2, 2017, at UFC 218 in a contest with the highest-profile fight of his career. In the opening round, he knocked the opponent out. This knockout has been labeled as one of the greatest and most brutal knockouts of all time. Ngannou subsequently agreed to a new UFC contract that included eight fights.
At UFC 220 on January 20, 2018, Ngannou competed against Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title. However, a unanimous decision in the fight defeated him.
Ngannou lost the UFC Heavyweight Championship on January 14, 2023, after he and the organization disagreed on a new contract. Midway through December, Ngannou’s agreement came to an end. Since the two parties could not agree, the UFC decided to waive the one-year matching rights clause, making Ngannou an unrestricted free agent.
Ngannou claimed in an interview with Ariel Helwani that he had asked for health insurance, the option for all UFC competitors to have sponsors and the presence of a fighter advocate during all contract discussions. Ngannou became the first reigning champion to quit the UFC since BJ Penn in 2004 when he decided not to re-sign with the organization after his requests were rejected.
It was revealed that Ngannou signed a multi-fight contract with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) on May 16, 2023. He can still compete in other sports, including boxing, but he will fight in their pay-per-view “super fight” division. Additionally, Ngannou mediated on the side of his rivals, promising them a minimum payment of $2 million. He will also serve as chairman of the future PFL Africa league, an equity owner, and a member of the PFL’s worldwide advisory board, representing combatants’ interests.
The PFL contract for Ngannou has been hailed as a turning point for the sport, with Daniel Cormier claiming it establishes “a new standard for what is out there in the [MMA] free-agent market.” However, Bloody Elbow’s John S. Nash and Alex Pattle of The Independent referred to a different aspect of the deal as “unprecedented.”
Ngannou’s influence goes far beyond his athletic prowess. He is an example to young boxers worldwide due to his reputation for being humble and dedicated. He inspires those who follow in his footsteps with hope and motivation by serving as an example of the characteristics of discipline, determination, and perseverance.
In addition, Ngannou has been actively involved in charitable undertakings, particularly in Cameroon, where he has worked on projects to educate children from low-income families. This humanitarian side of Ngannou strengthens his dedication to making a difference in society.
F9 (Fast and Furious 9) and Jackass Forever are two films in which he has appeared, although in cameo roles.
Net Worth
Francis is said to be worth over $7 Million
Cars
Francis has a modest but impressive car collection includes a Rolls-Royce Phantom VII, Rolls- Royce Ghost, and a Mercedes Benz G63 AMG.
House
The UFC Fighter currently lives in Las Vegas, United States. However, he is also said to own luxurious properties in his home country and abroad.
Records
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
-
UFC Heavyweight Championship (One time)
- One successful title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270.
- First Cameroon-born UFC champion
- Performance of the Night (Six times) vs. Anthony Hamilton, Andrei Arlovski, Curtis Blaydes, Junior dos Santos, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and Stipe Miocic
- Tied (Israel Adesanya) for fifth most Performance of the Night bonuses in UFC history (6)
- The world record for the most brutalist punch
-
UFC Heavyweight Championship (One time)
- Bleacher Report
- 2017 Knockout of the Year Vs. Alistair Overeem
- ESPN
- 2017 Knockout of the Year Vs. Alistair Overeem
- Pundit Arena
- 2017 Knockout of the Year Vs. Alistair Overeem
- MMA Fighting / SB Nation
- 2017 Knockout of the Year Vs. Alistair Overeem
- 2017 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year
- MMAjunkie.com
- 2017 Knockout of the Year Vs. Alistair Overeem
- 2021 March Knockout of the Month Vs. Stipe Miocic
- MMADNA.nl
- 2017 Knockout of the Year.
- World MMA Awards2017 Knockout of the Year Vs. Alistair Overeem At UFC 218
He holds the top spot among heavyweights in the UFC and has a 22-5 record in MMA matches. Ngannou has won 22 from the 27 fights—17 by TKO, four by submission, and one by decision—and only lost 5 of them—all on the rulings by judges.
