Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou says that his mother wearing a PFL shirt in a recent picture was blown out of proportion.
Ngannou is the biggest story in MMA right now after he was released by the UFC this past weekend. He now has the option to continue fighting in MMA with another promotion or make the move to the boxing ring.
Ngannou, arguably the best heavyweight MMA fighter on the planet, is now an unrestricted free agent. He has no shortage of potential options for his next move, with top stops such as Bellator and the PFL expected to make an effort to sign him.
Many were caught off guard when Ngannou’s mother was caught wearing a PFL shirt in a recent photo. Some believed that this pointed to Ngannou’s next move.
Days after the picture went viral, Ngannou explained the context surrounding his mother’s shirt choice.
Francis Ngannou Says Mom’s PFL Shirt Was Coincidental
During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, Ngannou clarified his mother’s PFL shirt and the speculation that came with it.
“You won’t believe me, (but) I didn’t even notice that she had a PFL t-shirt on,” Ngannou said. “And I didn’t even know where she got that t-shirt from, I swear to God. I just found out on social media, some sort of speculation. And I’m like, ‘Damn, what’s going on?’ [LAUGHS] I didn’t know at all. That was like random, completely random.”
The PFL could still bring Ngannou aboard, especially after signing other former UFC standouts such as Aspen Ladd and Thiago Santos. The 2023 PFL regular season is expected to kick off in April.
If Ngannou wants a big-name fight in the PFL, the league also has the brand-new ‘super fight’ division, led by Jake Paul. Fighters who compete in the division will get half of the pay-per-view revenue.
Ngannou’s mother wearing a PFL shirt seems to be nothing more than a timely coincidence, although the possibility of him joining the league remains.