Background on Ngannou’s Exit and UFC’s Response

Francis Ngannou’s departure from the UFC after his title defense against Ciryl Gane in 2022 left a sour note with the promotion. Dana White publicly criticized Ngannou, claiming he avoided a fight with Jon Jones. Since leaving, Ngannou has been noticeably absent from UFC’s media, including highlight videos, which has not gone unnoticed by fans.

Controversy Over UFC 305 Countdown Video

Recently, another instance of Ngannou’s erasure emerged. In the “UFC 305 Countdown – Du Plessis vs. Adesanya” video, a segment where Israel Adesanya mentioned Ngannou was edited to exclude his name. This sparked backlash, particularly from Adesanya himself, who criticized the UFC for attempting to erase Ngannou’s legacy. “You can’t erase Francis’ legacy in the UFC… It’s forever in history, in stone,” Adesanya remarked, emphasizing that despite Ngannou’s current affiliation with the PFL, his contributions to the UFC are undeniable.

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Dana White’s Apology

In response to the criticism, Dana White addressed the issue, stating he had no knowledge of the edit but took full responsibility for the error. White clarified that while he oversees all production, the decision was made by someone on his team who mistakenly believed it was what he wanted. White acknowledged the mistake and confirmed that he had already reached out to Adesanya to apologize. He emphasized that had he known, the edit would not have been approved, and accepted full responsibility for the incident.

Upcoming Fights and Closing Remarks

Ngannou is scheduled to make his MMA return with the PFL against Renan Ferreira on October 19 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Despite his departure, the ongoing discourse shows that Ngannou’s impact on the UFC continues to be felt and recognized, especially by his peers like Adesanya.

Sources: MMAnytt.se