Francis Ngannou has addressed claims made by UFC president Dana White regarding a controversial incident before his first title shot in 2018. The former heavyweight champion said he finds the allegations “quite disappointing” and emphasized his desire to move forward in peace.
Ngannou, 39, spoke about the matter during an interview on The Ariel Helwani Show. White had previously stated on the Flagrant podcast that Ngannou physically confronted him and UFC CBO Hunter Campbell, over issues surrounding a private flight and a $50,000 bonus. White described Ngannou as “not a good f***ing guy” and “a bad guy.”
When asked directly about these claims, Ngannou responded cautiously:
“I kind of, at some point, feel very annoyed to have to be responsible for what people say. Basically, like if Dana say this, then I’m out here going to basically defend myself of what Dana said, or whoever. I think whatever he said, if he’s at peace with [it], it’s OK. I don’t find it necessary [to address]. At some point, it was [necessary], but over time, it’s not anymore.”
Ngannou Reflects on the Situation
The former champion expressed frustration about the situation escalating over time:
“Maybe I’m getting old. I feel like I have less energy for drama stuff. I just want to be in peace and people to leave me alone. That’s all. We shouldn’t have gone this way. Why did we get all this way, first of all? What’s the purpose? How did we get from where we were to where we are right now? I would just say it’s quite disappointing the way that things went. That’s all.”
He also clarified his position regarding whether he ever made physical contact with White or Campbell:
“He must be the only person I ever put my hand on,” Ngannou said. “In his office, that’s what he said, right? I’m sure he has a lot of cameras there. I’m not inviting him to do anything [like release footage]. I’m not in court. … I just get tired of this stuff. I really saw that [when White first said it] and scrolled. I get past it. I’m long gone from that.”
Francis Ngannou said he won’t bother defending himself after Dana White claimed he put his hands on him 👀
“I will just say I’m disappointed with the way things went. That’s all.”
(via @arielhelwani) pic.twitter.com/3M8Rl9NUKV
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) December 10, 2025
Life After UFC and Boxing Ventures
Since leaving the UFC, Ngannou has focused primarily on boxing while still keeping a connection to MMA. He made his PFL debut in October 2024 against Renan Ferreira, winning via first-round stoppage. He has also fought high-profile boxers Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, with plans for at least one more boxing match in the future.
Ngannou was even approached as a potential replacement for Jake Paul’s fight against Joshua on December 19 in Miami. He explained his initial confusion:
“Honestly, yeah, I kind of had that thought. They made an offer. It was a very good offer, let’s say that. Nakisa reached out and was telling me that Gervonta Davis is having some situation, so he’s not going to be in the fight anymore, and they are looking for a replacement, and then they thought about me. Me? How? To fight Jake Paul? I was very confused. How can you guys go from Gervonta Davis to me? It was quite confusing. I didn’t even believe that.”
Despite the financial incentives, Ngannou stressed that his main concern was respect for the fight and the matchup:
“I personally didn’t talk money, but he was ready to pay. They had an intention to pay me a good amount of money. It was so confusing. Then afterward, after a couple days, I saw the ‘AJ’ announcement, then I’m like, ‘OK. I’m curious to see that fight, honestly.’”
Ngannou confirmed he is in excellent shape and open to future opportunities in both boxing and MMA. His preferred next opponents are Deontay Wilder in boxing and Jon Jones in MMA, although he acknowledges the latter may not materialize:
“I really like Jake, but on the other hand, this guy manages to get in your head to piss you off a little bit. … Maybe just to beat him up a little bit, that wouldn’t be bad. I don’t personally give a chance of him — there’s not a zero chance, but he has a very less of a chance against ‘AJ.’ Let’s say if he survives that fight, he’s at that level.”
Ngannou remains focused on his own path and stresses that his priority is peace and clarity in his professional decisions.
