Jose Aldo believes Francis Ngannou ‘shot himself in the foot’ after leaving UFC

As Jose Aldo gears up for his second boxing appearance later tonight (Sat., April 1, 2023) at Gamebred Boxing 4 live on UFC Fight Pass, PPV.com from inside Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Brazilian veteran can’t help but wonder why former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou fumbled his transition out of UFC and into boxing.

It took Ngannou nearly two years to try to negotiate a new contract with UFC and lock himself in as the highest paid heavyweight in company history. However, contract talks began to sour towards the end and Ngannou eventually parted ways with UFC. He was the reigning UFC heavyweight champion at the time and his departure cleared the way for Jon Jones’ title fight win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285.

Ngannou was hoping to use his newfound freedom to score massive paydays inside of the boxing ring — including a potential superfight with heavyweight champion Tyson Fury — but nothing has materialized.

“With all humbleness, I think Ngannou shot himself in the foot,” said Aldo during a recent episode of the Trocação Franca podcast (via MMA Fighting). “He had everything to sign a great contract, the biggest in heavyweight, but this desire to be a boxing champion or to fight in boxing… People see the top of the boxing pyramid getting paid big numbers but forget that the lower part is paid so little. I think the UFC has bigger salaries than boxing.

“I see Ngannou tripping about a fight with Tyson Fury, a champion, who heavyweights aim at but don’t come anywhere near. It’s like saying I wanna play soccer because they get paid million but forget only five percent gets paid millions, the rest make way below that. People say that the UFC doesn’t pay that well, but it does. That’s why it’s the biggest organization. You can make money like [big] boxers can. Conor [McGregor], Ronda Rousey. People say women don’t make money and she’s made it, right?”

Aldo isn’t entirely blaming Ngannou for his fallout with UFC, but the Brazilian veteran does believe both sides could have done more to come to terms.

“I don’t know who’s wrong, if it’s Ngannou or the UFC, so it’s hard to judge,” Aldo said. “We weren’t participating [in the negotiations], so [I’m talking] based on what we heard, but they could have been more flexible. Ngannou conceding, but saying, ‘I have full capacity to go there and face any boxing champion and represent UFC’s brand.’ It’s all about the negotiation. I had the opportunity to sit down with them and negotiate that and it didn’t happen at the time, I stayed in the UFC and got to a point where I am today. I hope he can continue doing what he does best, which is fight MMA.”

As Ngannou awaits his next move Aldo will be making another trip to the boxing ring tonight at Gamebred 4. The former UFC featherweight champion will be matched up against former UFC foe, Jeremy Stephens, who is making his boxing debut.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE coverage of tonight’s Gamebred 4 PPV main card HERE. The UFC Fight Pass/PPV.com “Prelims” kick off at 7 p.m. ET, then main card at 9 p.m. ET.