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Francis Ngannou Despite Pre-fight Injury Defends & Retains Undisputed Heavyweight Title

Francis Ngannou Despite Pre-fight Injury Defends & Retains Undisputed Heavyweight Title


On the fight night of Saturday, January 22 at the Honda Center in California, Francis Ngannou the Cameroon born super-power punching heavyweight champion of the UFC amidst contractual controversies with the powers that be of the MMA organization to battle Frenchman, Ciryl Gane a champion contender also referred to as the interim champion.


Both men used to be training partners at a Paris gym between 2017 - 2019.


In Gane?s corner was Fernand Lopez, a man who used to be Ngannou's own trainer until a feud that transpired between the trainer and the fighter.

 

Ngannou, aged 35, who prior to this fight had sustained a knee injury in his MCL and ACL to which his doctors had discouraged him from fighting warning that it could be disastrous for him, went into the fight regardless having in his corner his Nigerian bro, the UFC Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. Francis confidently and calmly went into the fight regardless of his situation, unwilling to withdraw saying he wanted to "remind people I'm the Champ".




And he sure did, winning by unanimous decision of 48-47, 48-47, 49-47 on the judges' cards through a surprising higher use of wrestling and Brazilian jujitsu than of striking, retaining and unifying the heavyweight belts.




Ngannou prior to this fight had an exchange with heavyweight boxing champ, Tyson Fury who congratulated his about getting into the ring and may possibly have this money-spinning bout in his future.


We congratulate Africa's son and look forward to his exploits in and out of the octagon and ring with him.



Photo credit: totalsports, cbssports, marca

 

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