Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has revealed his departure from the promotion was because he wanted freedom – not money.
UFC president Dana White announced on Saturday that the organisation and Ngannou had parted ways.
Ngannou revealed on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour show that he rejected a UFC deal in order to preserve his freedom.
Ngannou, who held the heavyweight title for almost two years before being stripped of it following his departure, says his requests to the UFC to provide health insurance for all its fighters and to allow its athletes to have their own sponsorship deals were rejected during contract negotiations.
Ngannou has been in the UFC since 2015, with 12 wins in his 14 fights. He cemented his status as one of the most fearsome punchers in MMA with 11 finishes in the organisation.
Dana White, who is continuing with his UFC presidential duties despite criticism over a recent altercation with his wife, had suggested Ngannou had left the promotion to fight lesser opponents after rejecting a deal which would have made him the highest-earning heavyweight in UFC history.
Ngannou, while disagreeing with the suggestion, also said he might switch to boxing with his ideal opponents being Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.