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What’s the story?
Francis ‘The Predator’ Ngannou has been regarded as the first true heavyweight prospect of this decade, in UFC’s heavyweight division which is seriously falling behind. He is coming off an impressive victory against Anthony Hamilton, where he made Hamilton tap out to an unexpected Kimura in the first round.
The Predator’s combination of size, strength, athleticism and his impressive submission skills makes him a scary individual in the division.
The UFC president Dana White is impressed with Francis Ngannou’s performance in the UFC. In an interview with FS1 at UFC on FOX 23 weigh-ins, Dana White expressed that he is intrigued by Ngannou’s size and showed keen interest in his future in the UFC,
“I don’t know if in the history of the UFC we have ever had a heavyweight champion like Ngannou who actually looks like [that]. If you put this guy Ngannou next to- put him side to side with NFL players. Put him side by side with the heavyweight boxing champions throughout history. This is a massive, massive guy.”
In case you didn’t know...
Francis Ngannou was born in Cameroon, and he moved to France to train in MMA Factory. His professional MMA record is 9-1-0 (W-L-D) and is currently 4-0 in the UFC. ‘The Predator’ is currently riding on a eight-fight winning streak. With four wins by submission and five wins by KO, Ngannou has proved to be a multi-dimensional fighter.
The heart of the matter
With an impressive victory in his last fight, Ngannou wanted to face opponents who are in the top 10 of the division. He got what he asked for, as Ngannou is set to fight the former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei ‘The Pit Bull’ Arlovski at UFC on FOX 23.
This is going to be the biggest fight of Ngannou’s fighting career and a chance to make a mark in the heavyweight division.
Dana White thinks ‘The Predator’ is the next big thing in heavyweight division. While speaking with FS1, White talked about the upcoming fight and Ngannou’s potential to become UFC heavyweight champion,
“The Pitbull has been around a long time. Obviously, Arlovski is a legend in the sport, a legend in the heavyweight division.Francis Ngannou will be. I believe that this guy has the potential to become the heavyweight champion of the world. I also believehe has the potential to hold that title for a very long time.”
What next?
Francis Ngannou is facing former UFC champion and legend in heavyweight division Andrei Arlovski at UFC on FOX 23, which is headlined by Shevchenko vs Pena bout. Ngannou would like to continue his success in the Octagon with another victory and leave an impression in the heavyweight division.
Sportskeeda’s Take
UFC’s heavyweight division is gradually slowing down with injuries to many top fighters and lack of new prospects breaking into the top 10. This should have been the most exciting division, as heavyweight fighters boast serious power. It is a good sight for all the fans to see ‘The Predator’ performing well and advancing quickly in the heavyweight division. He still lacks experience in the Octagon but would like to leave a mark by defeating the legend Arlovski in his upcoming fight.
He very well could be the heavyweight title contender that Dana White and all the UFC fans have been waiting for. He has all the makings of a future champion, but he will have to work on his takedown defense and wrestling to be able to compete with the big names of the UFC.
