“They f***** up” - Cedric Doumbe mocks UFC for not signing him, calls PFL 'The Future' after spectacular Paris debut

Cedric Doumbe has seemingly mocked the UFC for failing to sign him. Additionally, he suggested that the PFL is the future. The Cameroon-born French fighter is a former two-time Glory welterweight champion, who retired from kickboxing in late 2021 and transitioned to MMA.

He was expected to make his UFC debut against Darian Weeks at UFC Fight Night 209 in Paris, France, in September 2022. However, the FMMAF (French MMA Federation) refused to sanction the matchup.

Both fighters had less than 10 professional MMA bouts and more than a four-fight differential between them. As per the commission's rules, if there's more than a four-fight differential between opponents in such cases, the fight won't be sanctioned.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Doumbe later revealed that an MRI scan showed blood in his brain, which was one of the two main reasons why the fight wasn't sanctioned.

He returned to the French regional MMA circuit after his UFC release. Earlier this year, Doumbe chose to sign with the PFL after fielding offers from several top MMA promotions.

Watch the full interview below:

In the latest edition of The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Cedric Doumbe addressed his first-round KO win against Jordan Zebo in his PFL debut matchup at PFL Europe 3 on September 30, 2023. When asked whether he wanted to show the UFC and the world that the former organization made a mistake by letting him go to the PFL, Doumbe stated:

"No, I didn't even think about them. They did what they did. They f***** up. They f***** up. It is what it is. Now, I'm part of the PFL. For me, PFL is the future, and they are doing very great. We've got Francis [Ngannou] now. He's part of the team."

"I mean, I'm part of the future. We are changing something. We are doing something great. So, I didn't even think about them. They are doing their thing. I'm doing my thing. I think I'm the best. They lost something. PFL earned something. So, it is what it is... Of course [the UFC regrets it]. For sure. I'm pretty sure."

Watch Doumbe discuss the topic in the video below:

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When Cedric Doumbe criticized the UFC's pay, revealed his expected PFL earnings

A few months ago, Cedric Doumbe took to his YouTube channel to explain his signing with the PFL and why he turned down the UFC's offer in 2023. As noted, Doumbe's UFC debut almost materialized in 2022 but fell apart due to the FMMAF rules and a medical issue. Regardless, his potential UFC debut in 2023 failed because of, what he claimed, was due to the low pay offered by the promotion.

Cedric Doumbe highlighted that he's set to earn $140,000 per fight in the PFL. Moreover, Doumbe pointed out that in the UFC, he'd have earned only a $20k show and $20k win bonus per fight. It's believed that the 31-year-old welterweight is likely to continue competing in the PFL as part of his two-year contract with the company.