Top Turtle MMA: Francis Ngannou Details Championship Plan

Top Turtle MMA: Francis Ngannou Details Championship Plan

UFC heavyweight prospect Francis Ngannou believes he'll receive title shot by defeating Junior dos Santos at UFC 215.

Aug 8, 2017 by FloCombat Staff
Top Turtle MMA: Francis Ngannou Details Championship Plan
There's a stark contrast between the statuesque frame of top UFC heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou and the calm, almost reserved tone of his voice as he speaks. As he recounts his past, breaks down his future fights, and explains his lifestyle, his voice barely raises above a whisper.

A recent move from Paris to Las Vegas could have been jarring to the fastest-rising prospect in the UFC's heavyweight division today, but Ngannou remains steadfast this isn't the case as he gets ready to face Junior dos Santos on September 9 at UFC 215 in Edmonton, Canada. While winning fights on the biggest stage brings an increased spotlight, the Cameroon-born fighter told FloCombat's Daniel Vreeland on the Top Turtle Podcast there's a good reason why he doesn't get noticed in the street.

"I don't walk through the streets all of the time. I have my home," Ngannou said. "I leave my home most of the time to go to training and then get back home." 

Ngannou's focus on his dream is something many people miss about his quick climb to prominence. In just four years, he went from training in MMA for the first time to No. 5 in the latest UFC rankings. To this Ngannou credits being flexible for whatever his dream needed and wherever it took him.

"This is why I moved, the reason I even moved from Cameroon [to France]. I moved because I'm trying to recognize my dream," he said. "The dream brought me here, and I was just flexible for my dream. Everything that was positive for my dream, I just followed it."

That flexibility includes being a bit creative about how his team is constructed.

Some speculated that his move to Vegas would involve a camp change to one of the bigger teams, such as John Wood's Syndicate MMA or Xtreme Couture. However, Ngannou has compiled a makeshift cast that involves some of his team at MMA Factory in Paris, some new coaches, and, of course, the UFC Performance Institute.

"I moved to Vegas, but it was not easy for my team to move with me," Ngannou said. "But we still keep working together. We study together… I have [also] met a guy here who has helped me with my striking. The guy is Dewey Cooper." 

Cooper, a K-1 kickboxer and WKC heavyweight champion, serves as not just a valuable coach but also a solid stand-in for sparring ahead of Ngannou's clash with dos Santos. However, even though dos Santos is known for his kickboxing skills, Ngannou doesn't expect the former UFC champion to want to stand with him.

"Don't forget that Junior is a jiu-jitsu guy," Ngannou said. "I think Junior is going to try to take me down, but even if he's a good jiu-jitsu guy, he's not a wrestler. It's going to be difficult for him to get me down."

And that's what Ngannou is banking on.

"Like every fight, my game plan will be to defend the takedown and keep striking because I believe in my striking," Ngannou said. "I believe in my punch. So, I'm going to keep the fight up." 

This quiet confidence extends beyond UFC 215. When asked about a rumored matchup between current champion Stipe Miocic and challenger Cain Velasquez, Ngannou cares little about the outcome.

"That doesn't matter for me," Ngannou said. "The thing I'm just going to do is beat Junior and wait for the title shot. It doesn't matter who will get the title -- Velasquez or Stipe. That doesn't matter for me. I'm just waiting for that."