Dana White Admits Wanting Francis Ngannou to Lose 2022 Title Fight

Q: Why did the UFC's most powerful man secretly pray for his own heavyweight champion's downfall at UFC 270?

Dana White wanted Francis Ngannou to lose at UFC 270 because their relationship had badly broken down long before that fight, turning a champion-promoter partnership into a personal and contractual feud. White has now said openly that Ngannou was the fighter he most wanted beaten, specifically against Ciryl Gane in January 2022. The reason, by White’s own account and the public record around their split, was the worsening dispute over Ngannou’s contract, pay, and career control. Ngannou had pushed for better terms and more freedom, including the ability to pursue boxing, while the UFC resisted those demands. By the time of UFC 270, the conflict was no longer just business. White and Ngannou had spent years criticizing each other publicly, and White has since described Ngannou as a “bad guy” and someone he does not want to work with again. Ngannou, for his part, says he spent years and significant legal money building an “escape plan” to get out from under UFC control. That helps explain why White would root against his own heavyweight champion: a loss to Gane would likely have weakened Ngannou’s leverage in negotiations and strengthened the UFC’s position during an already bitter standoff. Instead, Ngannou won despite a serious knee injury, retained the belt, and eventually left the UFC as reigning champion. White’s latest comments show the dispute remains deeply personal, which is also why he has ruled out a reunion or a future Jon Jones super fight with Ngannou.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 12

Dana White said he wanted Francis Ngannou to lose to Ciryl Gane in Ngannou’s final UFC title fight, calling it one of the rare times he rooted against a fighter.
The admission ties directly to White’s long-running feud with the former heavyweight champion, whom he has repeatedly criticized since their split from the promotion.
White’s comments also revive scrutiny of UFC 270, when he did not enter the cage after Ngannou’s win; fans had long argued he left because he disliked the result.
Asked about a possible Ngannou-Jon Jones super fight, White said Ngannou is effectively blacklisted and compared him to Oscar De La Hoya as someone he will not work with again.