While there, Lopez said, the heavyweight leaned on him for business advice in negotiations with the UFC. Ngannou eventually made his way to the U.S. So I said, ‘You know what? You don’t listen to me any more when I’m giving the class. On top of that, you’re saying that would be a shame to know that a big name like you is paying the membership. “On top of the 10, you ask me to pay the sparring partner with that money that you give me. But, he said, Ngannou struck a hard bargain.
When Ngannou started getting traction in the UFC, he believed he was only right to share in the fruits of their labor. Lopez said Ngannou, with whom he shares Cameroon roots, was like many homeless people with dreams of fight game success that he invited into the gym to train for free. You spent four years of your life in my gym. “Francis said to me.I’m the one bringing the light in the gym, I shall not pay any membership,” Lopez said. Just hold on and see what happens.”Īccording to Lopez, he asked Ngannou to leave The MMA Factory on two occasions when they were living and training together, once because Ngannou balked at paying the gym’s 600 euro ($686) yearly fee around the time of his 2016 UFC fight with Anthony Hamilton. If Francis lost a fight, then people will start to talk. “What I’m saying is that in the past, people that know, I’m pretty sure if you have a chance to call other coaches, they will say to you what I’m saying. “I don’t expect anything from him,” Lopez said on The MMA Hour. Lopez maintains there were valid reasons for his unhappiness with the champ and added the character flaws he observed during his time with “The Predator” will someday be validated. Perhaps his biggest complaint is that there’s no way he can explain himself without looking bitter or jealous over Ngannou’s success, which Ngannou has said is the root of the coach’s discontent. Lopez remains frustrated by the public’s perception of what happened. The saga has been perfect promotional fodder for the undisputed champ’s UFC 270 title unifier against Ciryl Gane, his former teammate and Lopez’s current charge. But it was never about jealousy over the spotlight.īy now, most of the MMA world is familiar with the bullet points of Ngannou’s departure from The MMA Factory gym where Lopez is a head coach. For Fernand Lopez, there were a series of episodes between he and Francis Ngannou that led to their split.
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