Bellator CEO gives Ngannou update: 50/50 chances he signs with Bellator

Francis Ngannou opted to leave the UFC to pursue other opportunities outside of the promotion. Ngannou has been vocal about his interest in boxing, and he is rumored to make his boxing debut in 2023. However, he hasn’t ruled out a return to MMA afterwards.

Ngannou’s decision to leave the UFC wasn’t purely financial. Ngannou was offered a big albeit length UFC contract which he turned down and countered with a shorter deal that would allow for him to face Jones twice.

UFC wouldn’t budge – they prefer multi year deals with auto extension clauses in an effort to keep the monopsony they have on the MMA market.

 

A monopsony is a market structure in which there is only one buyer for a particular product or service, and many sellers. This gives the buyer significant market power and the ability to dictate the terms of trade, including the price at which they are willing to purchase goods or services. Monopsonies can lead to reduced competition, lower wages for workers, and decreased output and efficiency in the market.

Bellator CEO, Scott Coker’s has expressed interest in engaging with Ngannou and claims to have an attractive proposition for him.

He has mentioned that he and the President of Showtime Sports, Stephen Espinoza, have been in talks with Ngannou for some time now. In an interview ahead of the Bellator event, Coker confirmed they’re in negotiations.

“Anything can happen but I’m not sure we’re going to be in that business on the MMA side, maybe for boxing side, it might work out …it has to be equitable for everybody …I would say it’s 50-50 this one.”

Coker believes that Ngannou could be ideal for Bellator since he is interested in both boxing and MMA. However, no deal has been struck yet, and there is no development on that front. Coker claims that anything can happen in the future, but they are currently focusing more on Ngannou’s boxing venture.

The Future of Ngannou in Boxing Ngannou is in talks with Deontay Wilder’s representatives for a potential two bout deal. However, no confirmations have been made yet.