Former UFC heavyweight title challenger Francis Ngannou suffered a tough unanimous decision loss to Derrick Lewis back at UFC 226. Following criticism from UFC President Dana White over the matter, Ngannou has come forward with a response.
Ngannou and Lewis’ bout ultimately went the distance. Having garnered massive boos and ire from the arena crowd, the fight ultimately went down as having the second least strikes thrown within a 15 minute match.
UFC President Dana White later went on to claim that Francis Ngannou’s “ego” played a massive role in his loss to Stipe Miocic and his loss to Derrick Lewis. Speaking on ESPN’s Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show, Francis Ngannou has now come forward with a few words on the matter.
“If someone has an issue with you and doesn’t tell you, how would you (react) – if you haven’t seen him or talked with (him)? If you have an issue, tell me.
“We are all human. I don’t necessarily agree I have an ego. I’m never one to stay down when I fell down. You have to have that ego when you’re a fighter. You have to stand there and believe you’re No. 1. That’s ego. But not the one to hurt the people around me.”
“We haven’t spoke together. I don’t know why. If he had something to say he would tell me.”
“I have no injuries. This year I want to fight. Who I want to fight exactly? I was supposed to fight Junior almost a year, 10 months ago. He just came back. Great win. So, maybe that one.”
