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Francis Ngannou's life trajectory embodies the 'never back down' spirit. The Cameroonian fighter has overcome unimaginable hardships and harrowing life experiences to become one of the most popular and successful combat sports athletes in the world.
Ngannou rose on the UFC horizon in the mid-2010s and slowly crept his way up to becoming the heavyweight champion. But how did it all begin? Let's explore.
How did Francis Ngannou get into UFC?
Born and raised in Cameroon, Francis Ngannou made a living working in a sand quarry from 10 years of age. He idolized boxing legend Mike Tyson and nurtured a lifelong dream of becoming a professional boxer.
Ngannou trained at a local gym to hone his boxing skills when he was 22. He soon realized he needed to reach Europe for a better life and opportunities. At 26, the Cameroonian set off on a dangerous journey to illegally migrate to Europe.
After several failed attempts, life-threatening situations, and near-death experiences, Ngannou managed to get into Spain. After spending a few months in an immigration detention center in Spain, 'The Predator' arrived in Paris.
However, his troubles were far from over as the then-26-year-old was homeless and did not have the means to pursue boxing. Ngannou met coach Didier Carmont, who allowed him to train at his boxing gym and introduced the Cameroonian to mixed martial arts.
In the following months, Ngannou met Coach Fernand Lopez of the MMA Factory. Lopez convinced Ngannou that he had the talent to become an MMA fighter and offered him to stay and train in his gym.
'The Predator' made his professional MMA debut in November 2013, amassing a 5-0 record competing on the regional circuit. He then signed a contract with the UFC and made his promotional debut in 2015.
Francis Ngannou's UFC career trajectory
Francis Ngannou made a grand arrival to the UFC with a second-round KO win over Luis Henrique. He went on to amass a six-fight finishing streak (five KOs, one submission) to earn a shot at the UFC heavyweight title against then-champion Stipe Miocic.
Having started MMA training five years before the title fight, Ngannou was relatively inexperienced and suffered a lopsided unanimous decision loss against Miocic. It was followed by a lackluster performance against Derrick Lewis, which resulted in another unanimous decision loss.
During this time, Ngannou had a fallout with coach Fernand Lopez and started training at the UFC Performance Institute. He then joined hands with coach Eric Nicksick and his team at Xtreme Couture, where he continues to train to this day.
Under Nicksick's guidance, Ngannou went on to amass a four-fight winning streak and earned a second shot at Miocic's title. 'The Predator' defeated Miocic via devastating second-round knockout to become the UFC heavyweight champion.
Many expected the 37-year-old to rule the heavyweight division for a long time, especially after defeating former teammate Ciryl Gane to secure the first defense of the title. However, Francis Ngannou parted ways with the UFC over contractual disagreements. He signed a multi-year contract with PFL in 2023, which allowed him to pursue high-profile boxing matches.
Ngannou realized his dream of competing on the professional boxing circuit when he fought WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in October 2023. 'The Predator' lost the fight via split decision but gave Fury one of the toughest fights of his career.
His second fight against former champion Anthony Joshua resulted in a second-round KO loss. Despite the losses, Ngannou is praised for showing the courage to compete against the most elite athletes in a completely different sport. He has expressed the desire to come back stronger and pursue a career in boxing.
