The combat sports world is abuzz with excitement over the rising star, Francis Ngannou, and one of his biggest supporters is none other than former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub.
Ngannou recently stunned the world with his performance in a high-stakes boxing match against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, widely regarded as one of the greatest in the sport. Despite being the underdog, Ngannou displayed incredible skill and determination, delivering powerful blows to Fury and even prompting a controversial split decision in the fight.
Schaub, impressed by Ngannou’s abilities, has dubbed him “The baddest man on the planet.” In fact, Schaub believes Ngannou would defeat current UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones if they ever faced off.
“To piggyback on what DC (Daniel Cormier) said, and DC knows tough men, DC said bar none, Francis Ngannou is the baddest man on the planet,” Schaub expressed on his YouTube channel. “Who’s going to beat him, Jon Jones? I’m on record saying this: I thought Jon Jones would smoke Francis after watching him do what he did against Ciryl Gane. Watching Francis vs. Fury, I’m like, ‘Oh, he’d beat Jon.’ He’d beat Jon in MMA. I think he knocks him out.
“I didn’t realize how good he was. I knew he was good, but I didn’t realize he was this talented. I knew he was a freak athletically, but I didn’t know he was world-class-boxing-beat-the-breaks-off-the-greatest-of-all-time good. Who did? This is nuts.”
Interestingly, Ngannou was previously part of the UFC roster and there was much anticipation for a potential fight against Jon Jones. However, due to contract disputes, Ngannou left the UFC as champion and became a free agent, eventually signing with the PFL.
Schaub believes that the UFC made a big mistake by letting Ngannou go and not allowing him to pursue boxing. He asserts, “UFC messed up. Jon is out, Stipe is waiting for Jon and those two are going to retire, that’s a legendary fight. Chael (Sonnen) said this as well: I don’t know if we ever get that fight now. We might, but now we have Tom Aspinall and Sergei in there now. … But the greatest heavyweight is not in the UFC. The greatest heavyweight at boxing and mixed martial arts is not in the UFC. Who’s going to beat Francis?”
Sarah Foster is your guide to the world of Mixed Martial Arts. With a deep understanding of MMA’s intricacies and a passion for the sport, she offers comprehensive coverage of MMA events, fighter profiles, and in-depth analysis of fights. Sarah’s commitment to the octagon ensures that readers stay engaged with the latest developments in the MMA world.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72931262/usa_today_21973134.0.jpg "Stay Updated on Wisconsin Badgers Transfer Portal Movements for 2023-2024 Season")
