CEO says ONE Championship has dropped out of the running for ex-UFC champ and free agent Francis Ngannou

It appears ONE Championship won’t be doing business with Francis Ngannou.

Free agent Ngannou was in discussions with ONE Championship, but CEO Chatri Sityodtong said after a three-hour meeting in Los Angeles, he no longer will pursue Ngannou.

“I met with Francis yesterday for almost three hours,” Sityodtong told the South China Morning Post via text message Monday. “ONE has decided to withdraw from the process of bidding for Francis Ngannou’s services. After careful reflection, we decided not to submit our final offer. Francis is a good guy and a good champion. I wish him continued success and happiness.”

Ngannou became a free agent when he decided to fight out his contract as UFC heavyweight champion. He reportedly turned down an offer that would have made him the highest paid heavyweight in UFC history.

Sityodtong respects that Ngannou’s desires go beyond money, but says he couldn’t come to an agreement with him.

“At the end of the day, I didn’t feel Francis and I were fully aligned on non-financial matters,” Sityodtong added. “It is nothing personal. It is just a lack of alignment.”

Some of the biggest combat sports organizations, such as Bellator, PFL and BKFC, have expressed interest in signing Ngannou, but none of them have been able to reach a deal. BKFC president David Feldman said Ngannou was asking for “unrealistic money,” and that the promotion is not willing to pay that kind of money for him.

PFL president Ray Sefo recently told reporters, including MMA Junkie, that discussions with Ngannou still are ongoing, but they’re positive. Ngannou hasn’t competed since he unified the UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane in January 2022.