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PBD Podcast Episode 142. Patrick Bet-David is joined by UFC Champion Francis Ngannou
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About:
Francis Zavier Ngannou is a Cameroonian mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the heavyweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current UFC Heavyweight Champion. He is known for being the hardest recorded puncher in the world.
To reach the Valuetainment team you can email: booking@valuetainment.com
Download the podcasts on all your favorite platforms https://bit.ly/3sFAW4N
Text: PODCAST to 310.340.1132 to get added to the distribution list
About:
Patrick Bet-David is the founder and CEO of Valuetainment Media. He is the author of the #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller Your Next Five Moves (Simon & Schuster) and a father of 2 boys and 2 girls. He currently resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
0:00 - Start
3:50 - Francis recovery
10:22 - Francis Ngannou on how he handles fear
15:08 - Francis Ngannou gives a deep insight on his background and his life-threatening journey from Africa to America
21:02 - How Patrick Bet-David's story of travelling to America compares to Francis Ngannou's
27:01 - Francis Ngannou's reveals what his first fights were like
33:20 - Francis Ngannou explains why he doesn't care about what Dana White does
36:08 - Francis Ngannou gives his thoughts on his future boxing career
38:05 - Francis Ngannou explains why it is so hard for UFC fighters to get sponsorships
45:24 - Patrick Bet-David explains how to pay the fighters in UFC
58:33 - How urgent is it for Francis Ngannou to get paid what he deserves
1:00:41 - Francis Ngannou calls Kamara Usman the G.O.A.T. over Jon Jones
1:08:19 - Francis Ngannou gives his thoughts on Jake Paul vs Dana White
Yes, episode 142 with the one and only Francis Nganu, who by the way, you know, there's a lot of people you can say are the most feared man in the world, the best fighter in the world, whoever you want to call.
Our guest today may be the most feared man in the world today.
Let me give you some statistics for you to be thinking about if you don't know about how strong his punch is.
So I think U.S. Performance Center did a UFC Performance Center tested to see how powerful his punch was.
Imagine a Ford escort, okay?
If a Ford escort comes full power, full speed at you and hits you, it's the same power as his punch, okay?
If you grabbed a 12-pound sledgehammer and you went all the way back and you hit anything, that's the same exact power you get if you get punched by him.
And on top of that, his punch packs 96 horsepower.
Francis, it's great to have you on here today.
Thank you very much, Patrick.
Even though the introduction that you just did, I didn't feel like it was me.
When did you know?
When did you know if you hurt people, you're going to destroy it, like you're going to hurt people?
When did you know your punch was that powerful?
I think everybody punch is powerful.
It's relative, right?
It depends on who you're hitting and how you're hitting, you know.
And everybody has this kind of like superhero like feeling in him, like, I'm the man.
You know, we all have that.
But you always have to, you always question yourself, am I really the man?
You know, I need to try to test that with other men to find out if I'm really the man.
Yeah.
Interesting.
So, so, but do you remember your first fight?
Because, you know, fights you go and you're afraid.
You're like, I don't know, you know, but do you remember your first fight where you hurt somebody and you said, I may have a stronger punch than others, or you don't have a memory of that?
No, you don't think like that.
I mean, that just is statistic, but I think you don't work in there.
I'm like, oh, I'm the strong punch.
Sure.
I mean, you can be.
I always like this quote from Ed Adlass from the Great Eddie, which he always says, you can have the biggest muscle, but if you don't have a delivery system, it's useless because you won't aim and reach any target and you can destroy anything.
So you rather have a small pistol, like a nine millimeter, but with a good delivery system, so you can hit something.
Therefore, if you're hitting an elephant, even though you can kill him, you can kill him with one bullet, but at least you're causing damage and over time you will take it down.
So the most important thing is the delivery system.
Well, I mean, if we could show the greatest knockouts and how you got people to tap out or the pain you bring upon people, it's incredible seeing the way you fight.
By the way, can we bring up his Instagram account?
I just want to check on how's your health?
How's your leg doing after all the procedures you've gone through?
It's been very rough.
It's a tough process because I wasn't really, I didn't really know what I was going to put myself into, which is a good thing because if I knew that it's going to be this horrible, maybe I could have like hesitate on the surgery, but I didn't know.
So I went there free-minded and the surgery went well.
Everything is going well, actually.
But it's a very tough process.
The pro rehabilitation process.
Yeah, the injury and the pain, you know, the irritation and everything, you know, very, and then also the fact of being of being dependent.
You can do anything.
You have to call a friend out to drive you or to Uber or stuff.
You know, you can, I mean, doing daily basis stuff is like very hard.
Francis, how long is the recovery process?
How long are you going to be in crutches?
How long are you going to be, you know, on the sidelines?
It's step by step.
Like with the crutches, they give you about four to six weeks with crutches and then stuff like before you work about the same time.
But that doesn't mean you're here.
You know, it's just the first step.
You're just strong enough to be able to like work on your own.
And then after that, you have like until maybe three to four months to be able to jog, you know, to have that stability on your knee, to have your ACL or your MCL strong, just enough to hold you on that ground when you're not pivoting.
And by five to six months, you're able to do every activities that you're pivoting, such as like boxing, even like wrestling, jujitsu, but very light.
And until nine months, that you're probably nine months to one year that you're 100% recovering.
Nine months?
Yeah, if everything.
So in all likelihood, you might not fight into the beginning of 2023.
I don't want to put a timetable on this.
This is your world, baby.
Or the end of 2022.
Okay.
Or the end of 2022.
That's the timeline.
Who is what other athlete is your injury comparable to?
Oh, a lot of athletes have those injury.
You know, we always walk around basically.
I'm in Vegas, so I'm all the time at the USAPI, and you will see people coming from all around the world for the rehab, for their injury.
And most of the time, it's going to be like ACL, MCL, or LCR, even PCR or whatever, miniscus.
But, you know, until you're there, you don't really know what it is.
At least you're in Vegas and they have good centers that you can rehab better, right?
I'm assuming they have a good facility there to help you expedite the process.
Absolutely.
I mean, the facility there is great.
We have a very good quality of physical therapy of people there at the USA Performance Institute.
I think it's the best, you know, from my experience because I was even hurt before the fight and they helped me to strengthen my legs and do everything, you know.
So put me, build my automatic enough to put me in the confidence to go into a fight with that type of injury.
I think just.
You're talking about the fight with Cyril Gong?
Yeah.
You saw this fight, right, Pat?
Of course we watched this fight.
So how injured were you at that fight?
It was this injury.
I was ACL, MCR.
Got it.
Because the way you fought that fight is not the way you fight the fight.
It's slightly different the way you fought it.
Everybody was kind of watching and you'd read the commentating, you'd see what some of the experts are saying.
But what I think ended up happening with the fight is you earned respect because you beat him in his strength rather than what people thought the style you were going to take.
Am I off on the assessment some people gave?
No, you are not off.
I think those who were off was those people who was thinking that, you know, because uh, not because you haven't seen uh me display certain some of my skill, doesn't mean I don't have it or doesn't mean i'm not practicing.
You know, I go to practice every day, every week, and I practice everything um, but I don't know if it's like fortunately or unfortunately when I go to a fight, am I, sometimes the fight goes by really quick, after a few seconds or a few minutes, so I don't have to display all those techniques or all those discipline which in I have no problem with that.
But uh, as far as my last fight um, I didn't have many arsenals in my pocket because, like uh, I couldn't move uh, properly.
I was so concerned, so afraid.
Basically like, when the fight started, i'm like oh, maybe I should listen to the doctor, maybe I should listen to my team, maybe I should have, I should have listened, you know because uh, I don't know about my knee, i'm not sure about this, you know and I was fighting myself, you know, and I was very uh, slow on on everything, every reaction and reaction.
I was kind of like a second behind to reaction because I was thinking about me fighting myself until I get past that before I step into the fight.
But honestly like, getting into that fight, it was just a like um, for me, the only reason that I go to that fight.
It was my owner, you know, um knew that I wasn't like 100 but uh, just trust the fact that i'm just a fighter.
You know, i've been in a lot of shit in life so, and I handled myself out of it pretty good so yeah but, by the way, just out of curiosity, I uh uh uh, we have a guy we were looking at today to invite for uh, the podcast, the gentleman that uh, he wrote a book about fear.
You know who i'm talking about.
We're talking about upstairs.
How do you view fear, how do you process fear yourself, especially the life you've lived?
What is fear to you and how do you treat it?
How do you manage it?
I think fear is something which is very important.
Fear is something that you have to have, you know, and uh therefore uh, you develop your ability to uh overcome that, to surpass the fear.
That's what makes you a better man.
You know um, I don't trust people who say they are not afraid, that they have no fear.
I don't trust them.
Yeah, because that fear is I mean, fear sometimes is just a knowledge of a situation that you are into, and then you have to be aware of the uh, dangerosity of that situation and be careful.
And as soon as you're aware of the danger, the that's the first step of your defense, but if you are not aware of it, that's the first step step of your defeat.
Because you're exposed, you think there's not a danger, but fear come and acknowledge you.
There is something you have to be careful, and therefore, all your senses are ready for whatever is coming to you.
So, I think fear is something that is very important.
And if you realize, if you look at it, everything that you have done in your life, which is very important, you always have that fear, that stress.
You're always nervous, even whether it's like apply for a job or go to a I don't know, exam or whatever.
Everything that is very important, you have that fear because you have you acknowledge that there's something important here.
I have to put all my attention.
So, that's what kind of like build the fear.
So, the fight you had with Ghana when you went in, when were you able to control your nerves?
Was it the moment the fight started or before you entered the octagon?
I don't know if I would say I control the nerves because at first I didn't understand.
And I honestly, at first, I thought it was just me.
I'm like, man, how can I be so big and feel fear and be afraid?
Then, with experience, I realized, no, that's exactly how it works.
And then I kind of like check around.
Then I realized everybody has that feeling.
And that's what made you a champion.
That's what make you a fighter.
You're fighting against something that you're fighting against yourself at first.
You know, you're fighting to overcome something, to surpass something.
There's a challenge, which is your fear that you have to overcome, you know.
And then, therefore, I kind of like just manage, just accept it.
Yes, I'm afraid.
That means I'm ready.
I'm aware that something not good is coming off my way.
I'm in danger.
So, okay, I have to defend myself.
I also trust my ability to defend myself, you know.
So, those combined kind of like be like an upside for me.
When before, when you're, because you're saying doctor, maybe doctor's right, maybe this person's right, maybe that person are like, I shouldn't fight.
The people that were telling you maybe not to fight, or the people that were telling you to fight, when did you make the decision that you were going to fight?
Was there ever a breaking point that you said, I'm not going to fight?
No.
Okay.
Because even the first day that the doctor gave me a report after the MRI, I think he was just expecting me to call out the fight.
And I didn't want to do anything at that moment that I could have regret, like one or two weeks after.
And that was like three weeks out.
So I decided, like, okay, I'm keeping this, moving on and see what's happened.
If one week or two weeks after he doesn't get any better or get worse, I think I have no choice.
But I mean, I still think, I mean, there was a part of me who also believed that that could be an advantage on me to be very, to be, to feel that fear, to know that I'm not 100% of my capacity and be very aware of a danger.
And at the moment that I'm aware of that danger and on my own capacity, I think I'm more thoughtful than when I'm like, oh, I'm good.
You know, let's go to war.
I'm like, no, don't do that.
You're not good.
You have to think about it differently to approach it differently.
Francis, for people that don't know your story, you got from where you came from to America.
Like if you can take a minute and just give your background on how you came to America, because as an immigrant myself, you know, America is like, I remember the first time I landed and I went to the airport.
I'm like, I can't believe I'm in America.
What was your journey from where you came from to coming to America?
Well, from where I came from to America, it's a little complicated.
So this is like a two-step story.
Like when I come to America, even the first time, that story was different from where I left my country the first time.
Because I came in America the first time I had a job.
They picked me at the airport with a limo.
Brought me in the four-star hotel uh, four-star hotel, you know checked me out and have people around me and uh, I think that day I call my mom.
I'm like hey, your son has made it.
Yeah, because growing up yeah, growing up my dream was always to go to America.
Yeah, but how, I don't know.
So I didn't see myself like coming in America in the red carpet as I did the first time.
So my first day in America, not only I, I was in the fly um, there was somebody at the airport waiting for me, taking my suitcases, you know, bring it in the car.
Drop, drove me to the hotel.
Then they checked me in.
I wasn't speaking any English, but they were so like oh, mr Ghano, this mr Ghano, that i'm like damn, finally in America this, what city did you land in?
Orlando or, of all places Orlando yeah, that was showed up.
Who showed up to greet you?
Huh like, in Orlando it's, it's Walt Disney World, that's what it's known for over there.
I mean, what kind of pageantry was going on when you got there?
No really, but I think like at that moment, he was all America.
Everything that I was seeing around uh, was so impressive, and just the idea that i'm in America, that America that i've been thinking about, you know like, growing up uh um, i've been naming myself like uh, American Boy or the stuff, and they've been naming me with a lot of nickname.
You know um, because I loved America and I always been America, but that's the way that I came in.
America was a red carpet, but it's a different story compared to where I went in France, in Europe, you know, that's is a different story.
That's when I migrate there, and that wasn't fun at all, you know, because I left my country, first of all, without knowing where I was going and I couldn't even tell my family because uh, when you tell somebody that you're leaving, the first question is, like, to where?
Well, I don't have no destination.
So you, once again, you're crazy, you're out of your mind how you're going somewhere that you don't know where you're going.
You know um, and that's how I left, and it took me over a year.
Then uh, I mean, I went, I get I, and ended up in Morocco and trying to go to Cross and go to Spain and um, it was a long process, a tough process, you know, and I was there for one year before I made it.
So we were attempting like in the ocean with a flatable boat, like those small boats that they use in the swimming pool couple time.
I think I fell six times.
I fell and then I've been in that thing so much that I ended up became a captain, even though I don't know how to swim.
But I know how to like put the boat in the water, how to check the weather, how to manage the wave and everything and put the boat in the water, put my friend inside and start a paddle.
So that was good enough to be a captain.
We're trying to defenses to go because there's two lands in Morocco which belong to Spain.
In the west is Ceuta and in the east is Melia.
Northwest and North East is Meliya.
So and those are just protected by fences, multiple fences and barbed wire security on this side, security and on other sides, high security.
But we're always like trying to find a blind spot to like attempt.
Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we fail.
Most of the time we fail because the security is so high with infrared, everything that they have to protect the border because the barbed wire is on about, I would say, 10 miles, you know, and that's all the border.
So trying that couple time, fail, fail in barbed wires and all the stuff.
But always love water, even though I didn't know to swim and had a feeling that that's where I'm going to make it.
It's crazy.
Even till today.
Swimming?
I have tried to take some courses.
I have a pool in my house.
I'd love to meet your teacher.
I'd love to see who teaches you how to swim, like to hold you.
That picture of holding.
No, She gets a home.
Can I ask you a question?
She's this big.
She got a home.
She can't hold it.
No, she's not.
Your two stories, they're totally different, but they're almost similar.
Because I don't know if you know Pat's story.
He got out of Iran when there was a war going on with Iraq at the time, I believe.
You escaping.
I mean, people that are not familiar with your story, getting from Morocco to Spain, people die.
Thousands of people die on that trip.
A lot.
Okay.
So this isn't like, oh, I tried to get into the boat.
No, People die constantly.
So this is life or death situations here, right?
How have these life and death situations, fleeing on a boat to just get to freedom, fleeing Iran to get to freedom at a refugee camp in Syria, how has it shaped your mindset?
Because you're a fighter, but he's also a fighter in the business world.
This is a question for the both of you.
This also goes to Americans.
Hey, I've had a pretty good life.
Even though I was a very middle class, normal, like I haven't had to fear for my life.
What is fearing for your life for the both of you done to your mindset?
Okay.
So what you have to understand is first, you have to understand the beginning.
Because for somebody to let your family and your country and everything and just pack a small backpack leave, that's mean you have, I mean, if you have a little bit of comfort, you can do that thing because it's just crazy, right?
So you must be like in a very challenging life to be able to take those decisions and stand by, you know, because it's not easy though, like to stand, wake up someday, pack your bag and leave to go where you don't know.
You never cross the border of your country and you have to cross country by country.
Because I didn't just left from Cameroon and get to Morocco.
I went from Cameroon, Nigeria, then Nigeria.
Yeah, I'd like to see where Cameroon is versus Morocco versus Spain, crossing that channel right there.
So I went to Cameroon, then Nigeria, then Niger, then Algeria.
We have to cross the Sahara Desert to go to Algeria, then from Algeria to Morocco.
And all this is a place.
And you're walking this entire time?
How are you getting around?
No, a car, everything, snake, because also there is like a border control.
There's a security.
Yes, in Nigeria, we are borders.
This isn't, you know, you're saying I left Cameroon to get to Spain.
Like, this is the route you have to go.
Yeah, it's not like you have to go for Lauderdale to Miami.
Yeah, exactly.
Exactly.
No, 50 miles.
It took me 14 months to make it because like, yes, he's like very strict like that.
But remember, you have to go all this against all this immigration process, the law in every country.
Yes, when you're in Nigeria, he's still okay because you're the neighbor's country and the circulation is still like free.
Then you get in Nigeria.
Yes, we are all sub-Saharan country, but we look a little bit different though.
So even there, the border control, the immigration police, when they see you, when they see you, they just know that this is a stranger.
And that route is like known for immigration.
So it's kind of like a big business there to control immigration, you know, stop them from afloat to Europe.
Then you get to Algeria.
You're completely different.
Like you're outstanding by your skin color.
So you can't hide anymore.
You can pretend to be Algerian.
Then you have to go to this passport stuff.
Like, oh, I don't know.
This passport looked like me, like you.
Can you buy it?
Can you afford it?
Yeah.
Oh, find a fake passport, you're saying?
Yeah, if you need to go from somewhere to somewhere, free circulation in some country, you need to have an ID.
A ID who looks like you.
Will you stand by?
Hi, I'd like an idea of the UFC heavyweight champion of the world.
Do you have anything that looks like it?
No, sorry, sir.
Yeah, but the problem is that immigration-wise, my country and all those countries need a visa.
There is not a visa-free.
So I have to have a visa.
But I knew that I couldn't afford a visa because, yes, before they approach your visa, you have to prove that you have certain status in life.
You have to prove that where you're going, you're going for some business matter and then you're going to come back, you know, and then that you can afford that.
You can afford the trip.
You can afford the airfare.
You can afford the hotel.
You can subsidize your trip, your whole trip.
You can prove any of that, bro.
So what do you what can you do?
Just sneak out.
Craziness.
How are you processing this, Pat?
Well, listen, there's a reason why he is who he is.
You know, I think that experience of being raised in that kind of fear, it gives you a very special, unique feeling that others are not going to have.
It's a very, very unique experience you can go through to finally come here.
Yeah, to finally come here.
But what I want to ask is, so first couple fights, I think two, three, four fights was in France.
Then was in Switzerland.
Then I want to say it's in Bahrain.
Then you have your fight in 2015 in Orlando.
Is that the first time you came to the States?
Yep.
So that's the first time you came to the States for that fight.
Absolutely.
I got you.
Okay.
So your first few fights are in Europe.
Yeah.
And at this point as you're coming, because I think your first fight is in 2013 when you got started.
And then you kind of went through your, when you came to Orlando, were you already like, had you already kind of make some noise for yourself where people kind of knew?
There's this guy that's coming here that can really wreak some havoc on some people.
Yeah.
Because even when I started in France, I mean, I took my first fight.
I was what, three or four months in the sport.
And I was just there to try.
And then wanted to like have a complete experience.
And then they say, oh, there's a fight here.
Would you take it?
Then I'm like, yes, why not?
So that's how I get my first fight.
You know, and then I get a second one.
And for me, I was going just to try those two fights.
It was a tournament.
So I was going to win the tournament and then move on, complete the experience and move on.
But, you know, like, and this is what I say sometimes there's a destiny.
A lot of stuff happened for some reason.
And everything sometimes, stuff happened sometime to like just put you to some part.
Because if I would have win the second fight, I would have done with MMA.
But the problem, I lost the second fight decision.
And for me, living on the on defeat wasn't the right thing for it sounds like I was quitting.
Yeah.
It sounds like I was living in the people opinion that I have quit.
And I couldn't see myself in that in that thought.
So I decided to go back and fix it.
But little trap, four months later, I have another tournament because those two first fights was free, obviously.
I have another tournament and I fought, I won, get some money.
I'm like, no, but, you know, I was that your first time you ever made money fighting.
Yeah.
Which one?
The first fight you had in France?
No, no, no.
That third fight was the first time.
The third and the fourth.
Yeah, I got you.
Because it was a tournament.
He was two fights.
Yeah, because you took the first one.
They didn't pay you.
Do you remember how much you got when you won that?
2,000 Euro.
So that's 2,500 bucks American.
Yeah, about.
And how much did that change your life?
That 2,000 Euro?
No, I mean, 2,000 Euro can change your life.
But I was very happy about that.
You know, by the time I was already working in the nightclub, I had a friend who was bringing me in the nightclub sometime as a substitute.
So I had a little bit of money.
I have already sent money to my mom.
So he wasn't my first money, but he was like my first big money.
And what's happened?
I just took the money and got put it under the mattress.
Save that money.
Oh, yeah.
I needed to do that.
So then you have your sixth fight in Orlando.
At this point, you're saying people are starting to realize who you are.
You already start to.
Even in my first, my two first fight, people was even in France, people, I'm like, what the hell is this?
You know, like, where do this guy came from?
He's just, he's not normal.
Yeah.
You know, like, and then right away, people didn't want to fight me anymore.
Like, I have a lot of fights who get, who got cancelled in France, like, a lot.
And he was so frustrating that at some point, promoter, they just started to pay me when they get my fight cancel because I will go there and then be in the locker room and then warm up.
You know, and we were fighting in like a little gymnast.
And then maybe like your locker room will be here.
Your opening locker room will be there.
Maybe he would just hear how you're hitting meat.
And he'll tell his coach, like, you know, I'm not really ready, you know, and all this stuff.
And they cancel on you constantly.
And at some point, I'm like, I can't do this.
I was so frustrated.
The promoter and he really understood.
And I'm like, okay, at least take your pay and go home.
Leave me alone.
I was happy with that, dude.
Did you hear what he said?
You're saying that your opponent is hearing you warm up and they decide to cancel the fight and quit?
Sometime, yeah.
So I had a lot of fights get cancelled in France.
Gotta love it.
Could you imagine that?
Gotta love that.
To be that intimidated where your opponent's like, yeah, I want to fight.
Now, by the way, prior to 2013, did you have a lot of training or you're just a street fighter?
No, no, I didn't have a lot of training.
I had a few, a little bit of boxing training.
I was more boxing at that time, you know, more boxing style because I didn't know anything about MMA, but I've done boxing for a little, for a little bit.
And that was what I was going there for.
Did you have somebody, like, did you look up to a boxer growing up?
Were you like an Ali fan?
Were you a Tyson fan?
I was a Tyson fan.
You were a Tyson fan.
I mean, not like I was a Tyson fan.
I'm a Tyson fan.
Yeah.
Lifetime.
Yeah.
Makes sense.
Lifetime.
You liked his style of fighting.
Yeah.
It's incredible.
For me, like, he's the best.
Like, when I see, when I, even to today, when I watch Tyson fight, it's like a masterclass, like, explain people how to box.
This is how the body, I mean, he was like a class.
Now, let's talk about a few things that are current events, which is something a lot of people are interested in.
So your fight ends with Cyril, and you win the fight.
And one of the biggest controversies was, hey, where is Dana to put the belt on and not to put the belt on?
He's addressed it.
You've addressed it, but I'm curious to know what your thoughts are going to be at this point.
Dana comes out and says, listen, I actually walked out of the arena right after the Comein event because there was stuff going on that I was dealing with.
And I can see that happening when you're running a business.
This is a big fight, though, that you were having.
For anybody to think that I was showing any type of disrespect towards Francis, I saw Francis all week, you idiots.
I shook his hand.
I said hi to him.
I was out there for stare downs, the whole thing.
So for anybody to think that there was some type of disrespect towards Francis, I wasn't out there for Michael Bisbing versus Luke Rockholtz fight either because I was dealing with some stuff.
I sprinted from back.
I didn't even have my jacket on.
I only had my shirt on to go and put the belt on Bisbing, but I couldn't make it out there to put the belt on Francis.
So at this point, everyone said what they've said.
How did you feel afterwards when he wasn't there?
And did you guys have a follow-up conversation together?
Personally, I didn't care.
I made my statement that night.
I was happy.
You know, and I don't know if that's true or not.
I don't care.
What I do know is like I made my statement.
It wasn't about the belt.
It wasn't about Dana wrapping the belt around me or the press conference or anybody.
By the way, Nick Manner, which for me is a great guy, wrapped the belt around my waist.
And that wouldn't be a problem for me.
Maybe he has a situation going on.
I have no problem with Mick wrapping the belt around my waist.
You know, I'm very cool.
I'm very happy with Mick.
Doesn't mean anything things was great.
Maybe people are having this speculation because of our situation, the state of our situation, but it's possible that something happened, you know, that he was out for some business.
But I don't care.
I mean, you can ask people for so much, but the only thing that you can, the biggest respect that you're going to have is you respecting yourself, standing by what you believe, and then making your point.
And that's what I did that night.
So whatever was around it, I didn't care.
Francis, where are you at now?
Like, you know, people want to, people enjoy seeing you fight.
It's a very, there are certain people that draw, you draw, hands down.
If you got to fight, people are buying that pay-per-view because you're just that kind of an electrifying fighter that people want to see.
Have you made up your mind on what your next moves are?
Are you, because there's speculation of UFC, but you're talking about Tyson Fury.
There's a lot of different things that are coming up.
What are some of your plans that you're thinking about doing they can talk about?
I mean, I don't have a, I haven't made a plan yet.
And also, we have a contract situation to figure out, but I want to point out the fact that whether it's a Tyson Fury or whatever, he can still happen under the UFC.
You know, when I said I want to box or I want to fight Tyson Fury, that doesn't exclude the USA.
You know, he can still be under the USA as long as we have a good contract, a respectful term that has been agreed by both parties.
I think everything is possible.
Question, let's just say you continue with a contract.
Let's just say you renegotiate a contract with UFC and the contract says it's all in, but you can't fight boxing.
The contract says if I renegotiate the contract, the contract would technically says what I want.
That's what means negotiating contract.
Makes sense.
I mean, it's both party negotiating.
So I have what I want, they have what they want.
And then negotiating means like trying to compromise and find a middle ground.
Would one of the things be important to you to be able to fight in UFC and do boxing outside of UFC?
Would that be something that's important to you?
That's a possibility.
That's something.
That's the option.
Yeah.
So then one of the questions for me would be, I remember the year where Jordan's playing in the NBA and he's not the highest paid guy on the team.
And a lot of other guys were following this guy's strategy because he wanted to win championship.
Scotty was making more money than him.
A lot of guys were making more money than him.
But the reason why it didn't matter for him was because he had a lot of sponsorship money coming outside of the NBA.
Now, that's team sport.
You're not in a team sport.
Your team sport is you and your coaches, but it's not like you have a team of, you know, 11 other teammates in basketball that you're fighting.
Is it at a point where fighters like yourself who are at the pinnacle of their class, are you getting millions of dollars of sponsorship that is coming through to you as well?
My team are trying so hard, and they are doing a good job to find me some sponsorship.
But you have to understand, like, and this is one thing under the UFC contract, it's very hard to find a sponsor, to have a sponsorship because they cover everything.
They kind of like cut you out from everything.
You can't have a proper sponsor because you can get in the octagon or wherever with a sponsor.
They recently have a sponsorship deal with Crypto.com, which is a big crypto company.
And that deal took a lot of money out of my pocket because we were disclosed to have a deal with Cash App.
So you can't now do Cash App.
And Cash App is a direct competitor of crypto.com.
Cash App is the headline sponsor of the Bitcoin event that you're at this week.
My bad, Coinbase.
Coinbase.
The big boys.
The big boys.
All the crypto.com.
Cash App.
The big boys.
Yeah.
And that's why the number was pretty good.
Of course.
Right?
So they have that deal who literally like cut our feet on the other side.
Lose a lot of money, but they are not even away.
Do they care about it?
No.
And that's how we have to, we struggle with a lot of sponsorship deal.
You know, when you have something, you want a clothing company or they're going to be like, oh, you have this in the octagon.
We can be seen in the octagon.
So technically, we are, whatever we do, we are just a second, a plan B for you.
I mean, even though it's not your choice, but that's how it is.
So it's pretty hard for us to have a sponsor.
See, see, for me, what other sport is like that, by the way, where you can't get your own sponsors outside of the sport?
I mean, you can have, but it can't be a direct competitor.
No, it's very limited.
So can Nike sign you?
Nike can sign you, but Nike will sign you because they want to benefit from something.
They want to benefit, maybe exposure or something.
But one of the biggest moments that you're exposed, you will be wearing some other brand, which is direct competitor of Nike.
So I'm like.
No, what I'm saying is.
So Michael Jordan signed with Nike.
One day he comes home, his manager had, he goes into his manager's house.
I don't know if you've heard the story or not.
Michael Jordan comes to his manager's house.
He goes straight to his closet.
He goes to the closet.
He comes out, grabs all his shoes that are not Nike, grabs the scissors, starts cutting everything up.
He says, what are you doing?
He says, we weren't only Nike here.
He cuts them up, he throws them in the trash, then sends him a box of shoes to replace with all Air Jordans to say, we are Nike.
So maybe there's nothing wrong with that to say you're representing a brand.
Yes.
But at the biggest stage, you can't stand by that brand that you represent.
What does that mean?
You can't stand by.
Like when you step in the octagon, for example.
You can't wear Nike in the octagon?
No.
Wait, wait a minute.
That's the thing.
Wait, wait, wait.
You have no right.
You can't represent anything when you step in the octagon.
It's just what the USC provides.
So I have two paintings in my house of Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, right?
And I was talking about this theater.
I said, look at the power of sponsorship because Senna's jersey from 1989 is the sponsors of Marlborough.
I have it here 20, 30 years later.
Look at the power of sponsorship, right?
Like the power of giving Senna 10 million bucks because it's going to be around forever where it's in his house after he's no longer with us.
So in NASCAR, I can sponsor and put a logo next to it, half a million dollars for a race or half a million, depending on the race car driver, who it is, right?
So you mean to tell me you can't have stuff on your shirt to say this is 10 grand.
This is 50.
No, Is anybody renegotiating that?
Or is anybody asking for that?
Or is that just the bylaws?
This is how it works.
And that's it.
I think, yes, a couple years ago, I think it was, what, maybe seven years ago, they put that like in the contra and this, you know, as many things.
And this is, they were just like, this is how it goes.
And that's it.
And nobody has to say anything.
Now, the return for that would be the following.
Like, you know, Roger Godell got that big Godfather contract a few years ago.
I don't know if you're following it.
With the NFL.
Godell got this contract.
You know the Godell contract?
Roger Godell is the NFL commissioner, right?
So he gets the Godfather contract and it's $25 million a year.
Unlimited health insurance for his entire family.
Unlimited private jet for his entire family.
I don't know what the contract was.
It's a $200 million, $300 million contract, by the way, a $25 million.
If you put up, just put Roger Godell's contract, take the Godfather out.
$200 million contract, right?
That he got.
Now, no team owner fought it.
Nobody said anything.
But here's why nobody fought it.
Because Roger Godell brought the biggest contract to the NFL media that a team, let's just say I want a team, went from being a $1.1 billion team to $2.8 billion team.
You, Roger Godell, just maybe $1.7 billion.
We'll pay you $25 million a year.
And players officially got paid more.
So the players liked Godell making more money.
In this case, if the brand is getting all this money, there's got to be an exchange.
So let's just say you say, yes, it's okay for Nike and these guys to get it, but your pay also goes to XYZ.
You're saying that did not happen.
Nope.
Okay.
So then my next question would be: how much leverage do you have in negotiating contracts?
Well, in negotiating contracts, depending what can you ask for?
You can ask everything that you want.
Can you?
What can you have?
Can you wear a Nike shirt in there and fight?
Can you ask for anything?
I don't think so because the way that they have structured that interest, he stands now as a law, and nobody talks about it.
There's hundreds of fighters and everybody just comply.
He's really hot.
Pat, as a CEO.
Because right now we're having a conversation with a certified badass fighter, UFC heavyweight champion.
Boom, there he is.
But you're a CEO.
You run a company with how many thousands of general independent contractors?
Just like he's an independent contractor.
He's an employee of UFC.
Put yourself in Dana White's shoes as the CEO, as the person that's bringing the brand together.
And now you're Dana White and you're sitting here talking with the Francis Naganos of the world, the Conor McGregors of the world, the John Joneses of the world.
How do you process what Dana is going through as a CEO saying, sorry, Francis, here's what we're willing to do.
Here's what we're not willing to do through the mind of a CEO.
Well, first of all, UFC is not UFC without Dana White, period.
Whether people like this guy or not, it doesn't matter.
I have so much respect for the guy.
He has got a very hard job.
Hands down.
So to me, whatever they're paying Dana, they're not paying him enough, period.
That's not a $20 million a year guy.
He's worth $350, $400, whatever the payout was when WME bought him at $3.5 billion.
I think he was a 10% guy.
Maybe it diluted a little bit.
He got $300 million.
Dana's a 50 million out of your guy.
He needs to make that money, period.
That's that guy.
Okay.
Maybe I would even vouch for him being $100 million guy.
Some people may disagree.
That's that.
So let's set Dana aside.
Let's set Dana's value aside.
You don't find people like Dana.
Dana's a once-in-a-lifetime generation type of a promoter and a guy like a commissioner.
So you put David Stern there.
You put even Godell that's not like, but he is getting the money for the right guys there.
There's only few people like him there, right?
Okay.
So now let's set that part aside.
The next part is, I don't know.
I mean, if you got 48% as the EBITDA, give or take, their margins are 35 to 50%.
You got the margins to be able to afford to.
If they get what?
The margin of EBITDA, their EBITDA.
Their EBITDA margins are very high.
They make very profit.
They make a lot of profit.
Very profitable.
UFC.
You say how much?
48% is the number we sell when we looked at our reports.
48%?
48%.
Explain EBITDA real quick.
Yeah, if you have to look at the margins.
It's 35% to 48%.
It's public information.
No, no, no.
You're saying it's higher?
You mean what the USA is make or the fighter?
No, no, no.
Not FIDA, what UFC makes.
Oh.
Yeah, what UFC, not what you make.
So, for example, your fight with Ghana, what did you make?
You made a half a million?
The margin, pay the statistic that's going on now, like they make between 80 to 85 percent.
They need 85.
Yes, they made between 85.
But what I'm the number I looked at is I looked at their financials where it shows 48%.
So let's just say you do a dollar, they're making, they're keeping 48 cents.
That's the margins.
But not on the fights.
This is after employees, staff, home office, compliance, lawyers, legal, all of that.
Maybe not on the events they put, but I mean the whole organization on the amount of money they you can see their balance statement too.
Where do you find it?
It's public information.
It's not hard to find.
It's a formula.
Earnings before, what, a depreciation, interest and amortization, EBITDA?
Taxes, taxes.
But the point is, they have room to pay more.
They have room to pay more.
So let me ask you, the strategy you see, because even for somebody like you, you may say, well, I want to follow this guy's playbook to get paid what I believe I'm worth.
Who do you think has used the best strategy in UFC to make the most money outside of Connor?
It's really hard to use a strategy in the UFC.
I think the way that the business is set, is set up, like they pay you whatever they want to pay you.
They let you pretend that you're negotiating while you're not negotiating because either way, you'll stay in the contract.
Like you will have, let's say, 40 months, 40 months contract.
By 20 months, they will come to negotiate a little bit more money if you say yes, yeah.
Then they are giving you a new 40 months, which means they start over because of the money that they added.
But because by that time, your value is like maybe two or three times what they are offering.
But, I mean, you're kind of like broke, you're struggling, and then you're seeing your next fight.
Okay, 50,000, you have to pay this and pay that and get away with maybe 20,000 and you have to pay your loan and all the stuff.
And they have a new contract, 100,000.
It's really hard to turn that down when you're in that position.
Yeah.
You know, even though you know that that's not your value, but you see, you're cornered, you're cornered almost.
You're cornered.
So then let me ask this other question.
Then, then.
And I think every, and I think everybody in the UFC being in that position, they always have a step ahead.
So what if you go on strike?
No, you don't want to do that because that's not the right strategy.
Okay.
You can go on strike.
If you want to say that, go ahead and finish your thought.
Well, no, I was just going to say you had the MLB strike, the NFL strike.
It's not the best way, but if you're backed into a corner, what other options do you have?
I don't think that's the strategy.
What do you mean, go on strike?
Like he's saying, 50 of you guys say, I'm not fighting until you pay me better.
That's what he's saying going on the strike.
Protest.
Yeah.
Protest.
The top guys in the UFC say, we're not going to fight.
We're not going to do any events.
We're not going to do anything until you meet what we're asking for.
Okay, so this is the thing.
Because you were struggling.
You were expecting your fight for the $50,000, which is what a lot of people in the UFC, they do.
And even for less than that, and they have even borrow money for finance, their training camp or whatever.
So they are expecting that money to pay back.
And if you tell this guy to go on strike while he has a $50,000 coming up, we can save him from the guillotine, like release his neck a little bit.
Come on.
$12,000 is a lot of money.
You're about to piss off Francis, bro.
You're about to get knocked out.
No, it's not me.
I'm just trying to explain you how he works.
So therefore, nobody really, a lot of people will not go on strike, not because the UFC has the power to cut you.
I'm going on strike.
Oh, really?
You are doing that?
You're out.
Is that the right move?
No, you're doing that?
You're out.
Then you don't even have that $50,000 anymore.
What next?
So a lot of fighters, they don't want to compromise that because that only what they get.
You know, they don't have a saving.
They live day by day, fight, pay, fight.
And that's why, like, when they don't fight, they go dry.
Yeah, so for me, what I think about is how you can add.
So the game plan, what Connor did, Connor has a drink, proper 12.
They sell for 600 million.
I don't know what percentage he owned, a third of it.
He got a couple hundred million dollars.
And he was able to get a fight to be sponsored by proper 12.
So his drinks out there, he always sits there.
So that means there is some way to leverage your brand.
So maybe a Francis Nganu may not be a, you know, get sponsorships from Nike or Adidas, but maybe your camp is going to come out with a product that you're going to say, hey, let me build equity around my product and let me leverage UFC to increase the value of this product that I have.
And maybe I'll have an exit of 50 million or 100 million or 300 million dollars.
Maybe, and that's what I'm sure that's what everybody, almost everybody in the UFC is doing because at that point you understand that you need another source of income.
But not everybody has a chance to be in that position and to get things work that way.
I might be underestimate the sponsorship that I'm having today, not underestimate, but believe that I could have better.
But there's a lot of people that are just dreaming to have what I'm having as far as sponsorship because they don't even have that.
So they have even less power, not even to negotiate, even just to talk about it.
Francis, are you getting more money from sponsorships than fights right now?
Yeah.
Okay.
Is it four, five, ten times more?
Is it 10 times more?
Not yet.
Not yet.
Okay, got it.
It could be.
Yeah.
Like, can I hire, like, let's just say, if I'm a company, can I hire you to do a commercial on TV?
Can I do that?
Yeah.
Okay.
So then there is.
So then it means, then that means that there's an opportunity to have better managers to manage talent to get things on TV.
For example, what David, what's Michael Jordan's agent's name?
David Something.
David went to Nike when Nike was only given $25,000 to players every year.
He went to Nike and he said, listen, I know this is not the model and I know this is not what you need to do.
You need to pay one player $500,000.
His name is Michael Jordan.
Allow me to interrupt.
Please.
You are going to like pick in like the top, which is a few, which is an exception.
How many people like Mikey Jordan, even in the NBA, which is a very lucrative sport and very popular?
But that became a business model, Francis.
That's what I'm saying.
How many people, even to today, how many people?
That make his kind of money?
Yeah.
No, 200.
No, wait a minute.
No, no.
In NBA today?
Yes, 200.
100.
No, I mean out of NBA.
Currently in the NBA, I can tell you in the NBA, there's probably 50, they have 350 players.
30 times 12 is what?
360.
So they got 360.
17 on the team, 18.
I'd say 15 times 32 is what?
So let's just say 450, right?
Yeah.
Out of 450, Francis, 100 of them, 50 to 100 of them make very good money outside of the NBA.
Outside of the NBA?
Outside of the NBA.
Oh, yeah.
Make very good money.
Oh, yeah.
I don't agree with you.
Okay.
Few made a lot of money outside of the NBA.
But no 250, not even 100.
I think 50, 200.
Okay, so maybe let's just say it's 50 that these guys got.
And then you have to remember, NBA is like one of the most popular sport.
You know, it's not the same thing here with combat sport.
Fighters, they are literally like on their own.
They have to do everything, fight on their own.
Like a team sport like the NBA, when you go there, when they hire you for a team, what you have to do is show up, go train.
You don't even need to find a house.
You don't need to find anything.
That's true.
They get everything set.
They get the training set for you.
You as a fighter, you have to set everything up.
You are on your own.
Because like, yes, you might have a manager, but what you're having, the commission is not enough to require somebody full-time or that amount of job.
So it's way tough to a fighter.
There is a fighter who trained for, who's to train for like three months of training come.
Go out there, fight for 10 and 10 or 12 and 12.
In case you win, you get like 20,000 or 24 or I don't know, 26.
But if you lose, you're going out there with 10,000 or 12,000.
Then you have to cut commission and tax.
You find yourself out with the average is like 45%.
45% of $10,000 or $12,000 is how much?
Nothing.
Yeah.
For like three months of training come and input in your book.
With that being said, I just want to ask you, I know Pat has some.
Let me ask you one thing to you, but in the compensation structure of individual sports, that's pretty common.
Boxers don't make a lot of money.
Many golfers don't make a lot of money.
Many tennis players don't make a lot of money.
So when you're in the top 1%, but the difference is I do agree that the top 1% of tennis and the top 1% of golf and the top 1% of golfing makes way more money than the top 1% of UFC.
That I agree with.
I think if in the USA, if the top is 1%, then in the USA, the top is maybe 0.
I had one quick question.
You're 34, about to be 35?
I'm 35.
You're 35 already.
Okay.
My question is regarding your level of urgency.
You're 35.
I think some of the best athletes in the world, their lifespans are being extended.
Like we talk about, like LeBron is 37, right?
Maybe he's got a couple years left.
Aaron Rodgers just won the MVP, 38 in the NFL.
Brady, I think, is going to be 45 by the time the season starts.
I think you still have people in the individual sports like Serena and Roger Federer that are 40.
You're 35.
What's your level of urgency to get your money now, create your legacy now?
Because how much more time do you have left to fight?
I don't see it like an agency.
You know, I think everything comes with time.
Everything comes with time.
You just have to do things right.
You know, I started the sport very late.
I didn't have a chance or opportunity to practice sport earlier in my life.
But from what I started, I think I'm doing pretty good.
You know, I've been practicing sport for only nine years, and I'm a world champion.
And a lot of people have been practicing for a long, long time, and they are not or not yet a champion.
So I don't think there's a sense of agency.
I do agree that I don't have, I'm not very young for the sport, but the fact that I started late makes me like being very to be fresh, you know, as an athlete, even though I'm 35.
I think a lot of people that are 30 are more broken than I am.
You still got a lot of tread on your tires is what you're saying.
Yeah.
Very true.
That's what I'm saying.
Francis, let's transition to a couple other things.
John Jones, you said this on, you said John Jones finds a better battle on Twitter than in the UFC.
Of course, a lot of people would love to see the two of you guys fight.
Now, weight-wise, I think he wants to go heavyweight.
I think he's 6'4, 204.
I think you're 6'4'262.
Oh, John John is not 204.
He's what?
I mean, he always been 204 or 205 when he caught weight to go to light heavyweight.
But his everyday weight is not 204.
What do you think?
220?
Oh, way more.
Basically, like now that he's gaining weight, John Jones now might be at least 250, 260.
Okay, 50.
Yeah, because I looked at an article here.
ESPN says 240.
Yeah.
So you guys, you're saying you're similar weight class.
He wants to come up.
John wants to come up.
He just cuts weight to go to light heavyweight.
What are the chances of him fighting you?
Because some would consider him the GOAT because I think he's 27 and 1.
I think you're 17 and 3.
Different style of fighting.
What would happen if you and John Jones fought?
I mean, without Usman Camaro on the way, I would consider John Jones as a goat.
Me too.
You put Usman above him.
Yeah.
Who smoke over John Jones?
Are you saying that because you like Usman more than John Jones?
Or are you saying?
No, no.
No, obviously, yes.
That's not questionable.
Because man is my brother.
Sure.
That's why I ask.
But this arguable.
But yeah, I do agree that John Jones could be the greatest, the good.
Or not.
But I think fighting with him, and I always think that is going to be a great, great fight for me, a great test, great challenge, you know, because he's like by far the best, how they say, versatile all around.
Yeah, complete fighter.
Complete fighter, skilled.
Skill and a complete fighter.
You know, you just have to see how he dominated on the light heavyweight in the past decade, you know.
But don't you think you're much bigger and stronger than him?
And you could probably take, even though he's great and amazing, but it's a different way class.
I'm strongest is not enough.
It's not enough.
Really?
Oh, yeah.
It's not enough.
You have to bring something more.
Come up with something way more than that to win the fight.
You're fighting with a professional who has a lot of experience.
He has seen it all.
So come on.
But you're confident.
If you face him, you'd beat him.
Yeah, I'm confident.
But he's still like he's a challenge.
It's a very tough challenge.
You know, I know his skill set and I know how dangerous he is.
You know?
So, yeah.
Maybe the different question would be the following.
Are you more confident going against him in a UFC match, heavyweight, your weight, or are you more confident going against Tyson Fury in boxing?
I would say more confident going against John Jones because he's, yes, it's a field that I master pretty good than boxing, which is something that professional boxing, to be honest, is something that I will be a very newborn in that film.
But in MMA, as far as today, I think I've mastered that pretty good.
So more confident going against John Jones than going against Tyson Fury.
What about Wilder?
Deontay Wilder, the guy that keeps fighting Tyson Fury?
Yeah.
Do you have any strong feelings about fighting him?
Yeah, he's a obviously that's a very interesting fight because he's known for like one punch, you know.
And I think that might be the opportunity to find out who hit the hardest.
Yeah.
So Joe Rogan, here's what Joe Rogan said.
Here's what Joe Rogan said if he was to fight Tyson Fury.
I don't know if you've seen this or not.
Joe Rogan said he would murder Tyson Fury.
Rogan said this about.
Joe Rogan said he would murder Tyson Fury.
He backs Francis Nganu to incapacitate Tyson Fury in the UFC, of course, but not boxing.
He's someone in the UFC.
It wouldn't even be fair.
In boxing, it's a different story if you went against him.
And then you said here April 3rd, just a few days ago, you said, I don't really care about what it would be.
I just think it would be a fight.
You said, I don't care if we fight anywhere.
It could be in a phone booth or in the rooftop.
That fight will happen.
So you really want to fight Tyson Fury?
Yeah, we've been going back and forth for over two years now.
And It's not a secret that my dream is always to have a challenge in boxing.
My dream has always been boxing even before I discovered MMA.
So at some point, I want to experience that to see where I am at.
In boxing?
I think the whole world would like to see that.
By the way, which one do you want more?
Which one do you want more?
Because there's like certain fights you want or certain desires we have.
Would you rather have a fight against John Jones or would you rather fight against Tyson Fury?
I could have both.
Which one?
You're not willing to pick one.
Why should I pick?
Why I could have both.
So you're greedy.
You want both of them.
You don't just want one.
I can have both.
And even more.
It's not like I'm not retiring.
No, you're still right now.
You're 35.
I'm going to fight a lot of fights again.
So yeah, I can have both.
And even someone that we are not even expecting right now by next year might be the biggest fight or the biggest challenge or the biggest opening.
That's just how the sport is.
I don't have to choose against two fights where I still have like, what, minimum of 10 fights in my career, if it's not 20?
So John and Tyson Fury.
Have them both.
Yeah, he wants both.
I can have both.
And step over it, maybe go find Deontay Wilder again.
And there will be another contender somewhere, maybe in MMA, that I will go find them.
And by the way, even with the current contract, can you do both?
Like even with the current UFC contract, you know how Jake Paul comes out and he says, why don't you come?
We'll pay you better.
Can you fight boxing and UFC today?
No, in the current contract, unless the USA says so.
Unless if the UFC says so.
Yeah.
So Dana has to give the green light.
In the current contract.
Wow.
You bring up Jake Paul for a reason.
Yeah.
Do you think everything he's doing is actually pissing off Dana White?
Because he calls him out.
He did a whole music video about Dana White.
Do you think, Jake, what are your thoughts on Jake Paul and what he's doing, ruffling those feathers, being a troll?
Do we what?
Ruffling Dana White's feathers and basically rattling the cage of Dana White.
What are your thoughts on what Jake Paul is doing?
Well, I think he's definitely pissing Dana off.
I would have been piss off too.
Yeah, the way that he does it.
Yeah, I would have been piss off.
But I wouldn't do it that way in the same fashion that he's doing it.
But I find a lot of truth in what he says.
A lot of truth.
Yeah.
In what Jake Paul is saying.
Yeah.
Because he's kind of defending UFC fighters.
Yeah.
I mean, that makes sense, right?
And I think it's something that we should think more about it at this point of life.
Are you saying that secretly and maybe even not so secretly, a lot of UFC fighters are actually kind of agreeing with Jake Paul and what he's saying?
Oh, yeah.
A lot.
A lot.
So many will not agree on the method that he's doing it, you know, the way that he's doing it.
But the idea, yes.
Interesting.
Have you watched Jake fight or Logan fight?
Have you watched both of them fight?
Last year I was even here when Logan fought Floyd Mayweather.
What did you think about both Logan fighting?
No, I was just thinking about the money that he's cashing out.
Oh, my God.
What are we doing wrong?
So you fighting.
If you got an offer to fight Joe, Jake, or Logan, you'd be open to it if the UFC allowed and the money was there.
I don't think it's the way class that could be.
What happens if you had to fight both of them at the same time?
Yeah.
It does make more sense at the same time.
Set it up.
Yeah, I can fight both of us at the same time.
Set it up.
January of 2023.
Francis Legato versus Jake and Logan Paul.
Same time.
Knock about that.
No, Tyson Fury first.
I want it all.
We have three minutes left.
Do you want to take a phone call?
I think it's a pretty good question.
Well, is it?
Let's put them on.
Yes, go for it.
We have Gil on the line.
Gil, can you hear us?
Yes, crystal clear.
Fantastic.
What's on your mind?
All righty.
So I had a quick question.
I love Francis.
He has an incredibly inspirational life story.
Thank you, Gil.
I wanted to know: has anyone ever approached you about making a movie about your life or buying the rights to your life story?
And part two is if so, who would you want to play you?
That's a good question.
Yeah, that's very interesting.
I think I have that question already.
But yes, manyone have a lot of interest of doing a movie with my life or buying the right of my story, even though as far as movie, I think it's not time yet.
My team and I, we think like movie could wait.
Right now, we are working on book and documentary.
Interesting.
And the movie can wait because like movie is kind of like, oh, I have made it, which is not where I am yet.
You know, I think there's a lot of range for me to go.
But if that was the case, who would I like to play me?
Maybe Idris Erba?
Idris Elba.
Okay.
What about Will Smith?
I was about to say, you lost one character.
Yeah, Idris would be Idris would be Will Smith in these days?
No.
Will Smith.
I can see Idris.
Honestly, I never thought about Will Smith, but he might not be able to knock people out these days, but he'll slap a motherfucker.
Oh, yeah, for sure.
Yeah.
Yeah.
What else we got, John?
No, I get Idris Erbo.
Okay.
Idris.
He's my first pick, at least.
Are you kidding me?
I fully see that, by the way.
I fully, fully see that.
Because I have thought about it a lot.
Oh, it's going to happen.
So I hope this answers your question, Will.
That's, yeah.
Yes.
Well, appreciate the caller calling in.
Francis, appreciate you for coming out.
Really enjoyed it, man.
What a story you got.
And we're looking forward to watching you fight, hopefully, by the end of the year.
Because you kind of did say, I can fight end of 2022.
Yeah.
And he wants all the smoke.
He wants Tyson Fury.
He wants Deontay Wilder.
He wants John Jones.
And throw in a couple of the Paul brothers while we're at it.
I have a lot of years ahead of me, and I'll have a couple of fights that I don't even know who they're going to be.
So, yes, while we're here, if I can pick two or three, why not?
May as well do it.
May as well do it.
Anyways, gang, hope you enjoyed it as much as we did, Francis.
Appreciate you for coming out, man.
This was fantastic.
Yes, this was fantastic.
Okay, what do we have?
You're saying we got tomorrow.
Tomorrow we got.
Tomorrow we got Andrew Yang and Dave Rubin.
Dave Rubin every morning.
Andrew Yang in the afternoon.
Same time.
Not same time.
One will be in the morning, one will be in the afternoon.
Have a great one, everybody.
And I have a feeling.
Are you going to the Bitcoin conference?
You're going to be at the Bitcoin conference?
That's why I'm here.
I know you're going to conference.
You're speaking at the Bitcoin conference, right?
There's some event you're doing, right?
Okay.
So some of you guys may see the champ at the Bitcoin conference.
