In a heart-wrenching interview, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou opened up about the tragic passing of his 15-month-old son, Kobe. The MMA star, who will make his debut in the Professional Fighters League (PFL) on October 19, broke down in tears while discussing the unimaginable loss with Steven Bartlett on the “Diary of a CEO” podcast.
Ngannou, who recently announced Kobe’s death in April, expressed the profound impact it has had on him. “That is something that I never really imagined, and all of a sudden nothing really matters,” he said, his voice trembling with emotion. “I’m surviving, but I’ll never be the same. I don’t think I’ll ever be the same.”
The 37-year-old athlete admitted that he struggles to cope with the loss of his son, questioning the purpose of his career and life. “There’s some days that you wake up, think about everything, and are like, ‘What’s the purpose? What’s the point of fighting if I can’t fight for the only person I can fight for,'” he said, wiping away tears.
During the interview, Ngannou recounted the heartbreaking final moments he shared with Kobe before leaving Cameroon for Europe. “The last time I saw him was me leaving Cameroon, going to the elevator, and he was with my little brother, and he didn’t want me to go because he became my buddy,” Ngannou said, his voice trembling. “So much that even when I’m around, he doesn’t want me to leave him alone. I can take him whenever, wherever I go, he might not eat, he doesn’t care, as long as he was with me. That was it, he was my mate.”
Ngannou’s loss has profoundly changed his perspective on life and death. “You have things to be grateful about, but in your heart, you feel like you are broken, you have nothing. Nothing is worth it,” he said.
