History of Francis Ngannou in Timeline
Francis Ngannou is a Cameroonian-French mixed martial artist and boxer currently signed to the Professional Fighters League (PFL). Formerly competing in the UFC, he held the Heavyweight Champion title. Widely regarded as the UFC's most powerful puncher in the heavyweight division, Ngannou secured seven knockout victories within the first two minutes of the first round in his fourteen UFC fights.
September 1986: Francis Ngannou is born
Francis Ngannou was born in September 1986 in Cameroon.
2004: B.J. Penn Leaves UFC
B.J. Penn left the UFC in 2004 as a reigning champion.
November 2013: Ngannou Begins MMA Career
Francis Ngannou started his MMA career in November 2013, fighting in the French promotion 100% Fight and other regional promotions in Europe.
December 2015: UFC Debut
Francis Ngannou made his UFC debut against Luis Henrique on December 19, 2015 at UFC on Fox 17, winning by knockout in the second round.
April 2016: Ngannou vs. Blaydes
Francis Ngannou fought Curtis Blaydes at UFC Fight Night 86 in April 2016, winning via TKO due to doctor stoppage at the end of the second round.
July 2016: Ngannou vs. Mihajlović
Francis Ngannou defeated Bojan Mihajlović at UFC on Fox 20 in July 2016 via TKO in the first round.
December 2016: Ngannou vs. Hamilton
Francis Ngannou defeated Anthony Hamilton via submission in the first round at UFC Fight Night 102 in December 2016. He earned his first UFC Performance of the Night bonus.
January 2017: Ngannou vs. Arlovski
Francis Ngannou defeated Andrei Arlovski at UFC on Fox 23 in January 2017 via TKO in the first round. He earned his second UFC Performance of the Night bonus.
September 2017: Ngannou vs. Dos Santos Cancelled
Francis Ngannou was scheduled to fight Junior dos Santos at UFC 215 in September 2017, but dos Santos was pulled from the fight due to a potential USADA violation. Ngannou was also removed from the card.
December 2017: Ngannou vs. Overeem
Francis Ngannou defeated Alistair Overeem in a highly anticipated fight at UFC 218 in December 2017 via knockout in the first round, which is considered one of the most brutal knockouts in MMA. Ngannou then signed a new 8-fight contract with the UFC.
2017: Ngannou Sets Punching Power World Record
In 2017, Francis Ngannou set the world record for the hardest punch ever recorded, measuring 129,161 franklin on the PowerKube.
January 2018: First Title Shot
Francis Ngannou faced Stipe Miocic for the UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 220 in January 2018 but lost via unanimous decision.
July 2018: Ngannou vs. Lewis
Francis Ngannou fought Derrick Lewis at UFC 226 in July 2018 and lost by unanimous decision. The fight was heavily criticized for its lack of action.
November 2018: Ngannou vs. Blaydes II
Francis Ngannou won a rematch against Curtis Blaydes at UFC Fight Night 141 in November 2018 via TKO in the first round, also earning a Performance of the Night bonus.
February 2019: UFC on ESPN 1
Francis Ngannou headlined the UFC's first event on ESPN, UFC on ESPN 1, against Cain Velasquez in February 2019 and won via knockout in the first round.
June 2019: Ngannou vs. Dos Santos
Francis Ngannou defeated Junior dos Santos at UFC on ESPN 3 in June 2019 via TKO in the first round, winning the Performance of the Night award.
March 2020: Ngannou vs. Rozenstruik Postponement
Francis Ngannou was scheduled to fight Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. Rozenstruik in March 2020, but the event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 2020: Second Postponement
Francis Ngannou's rescheduled fight against Jairzinho Rozenstruik for UFC 249 in April 2020 was again postponed.
May 2020: Ngannou vs. Rozenstruik
Francis Ngannou fought Jairzinho Rozenstruik on May 9, 2020, winning by knockout 20 seconds into the first round and earning the Performance of the Night award.
March 2021: Ngannou Becomes UFC Heavyweight Champion
Francis Ngannou won the UFC Heavyweight Championship by defeating Stipe Miocic in a rematch at UFC 260 in March 2021 via knockout in the second round. He also earned the Performance of the Night award.
January 2022: First Title Defense
Francis Ngannou defended his UFC Heavyweight Championship title against Interim Champion Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022, winning by unanimous decision, despite having injured knee ligaments weeks before the fight. This is his first decision win.
January 2023: Leaves UFC
Francis Ngannou was stripped of the UFC Heavyweight Championship after failing to agree to a new contract with the UFC in January 2023, making him a free agent. He became the first reigning champion to leave the UFC since B.J. Penn in 2004.
May 2023: Ngannou Signs Historic Multi-Fight Deal with PFL
In May 2023, Francis Ngannou signed a groundbreaking multi-fight deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), allowing him to compete in their pay-per-view "super fight" division while pursuing other combat sports like boxing. The deal also included Ngannou advocating for fighters' rights on the PFL's global advisory board, becoming an equity owner, and chairing the upcoming PFL Africa league.
October 2023: Ngannou Faces Fury in "Battle of the Baddest"
In October 2023, Francis Ngannou challenged the undefeated WBC and Lineal heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury, in a professional boxing match dubbed "Battle of the Baddest" in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ngannou knocked down Fury in the third round; however, Fury ultimately won via a controversial split decision.
January 2024: The Francis Ngannou Foundation Expands Its Reach
In January 2024, The Francis Ngannou Foundation, funded by Ngannou and donations, expanded its work in Cameroon, establishing the nation's first MMA gym, providing educational resources, and setting up computer labs in underserved communities, reportedly reaching 26,000 beneficiaries.
February 2024: Ngannou's MMA Return
In February 2024, Francis Ngannou was set to make his MMA return, fighting against the winner of the Renan Ferreira vs. Ryan Bader heavyweight bout at PFL vs. Bellator in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
February 22, 2024: Ngannou's MMA Return Announced
On February 22, 2024, Francis Ngannou's return to MMA was announced, scheduled against the winner of the Renan Ferreira vs. Ryan Bader heavyweight bout at PFL vs. Bellator on February 24, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
March 2024: Ngannou vs. Joshua
On March 8, 2024, Francis Ngannou fought Anthony Joshua in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, resulting in a second-round knockout loss for Ngannou.
April 29, 2024: Ngannou's Son Passes Away
On April 29, 2024, Francis Ngannou announced the passing of his 15-month-old son, Kobe. The cause of death was not disclosed.