The heart of Francis Ngannou’s dispute with the UFC may have been focused on boxing, contract limits, and (as always) money, but there were a few other aspects to the negotiations that appear to have informed the fighter’s decision to leave the world’s largest MMA promotion.
The Xtreme Couture talent came to the bargaining table hoping to gauge the UFC’s interest in providing a healthcare plan for the athletes on their roster, as well as allowing the placement of a “fighter advocate” in company board meetings. Those ideas accompanied another longtime sore sport for athletes in the Endeavor-owned promotion: improved sponsorship rights.