Francis Ngannou is preparing for the next stage in what has been a memorable career in combat sports.
The story of Ngannou's rise to the top of MMA is one fit for a Hollywood film, from being homeless to being crowned the UFC heavyweight champion.
However, Ngannou is now longer a part of the UFC, and is instead preparing for a boxing match with WBC world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury before returning to the cage in 2024.
But why did Ngannou leave the UFC and which MMA promotion has signed Ngannou? DAZN explains below.
Why did Francis Ngannou leave the UFC?
Francis Ngannou's last fight in the UFC took place on January 22, 2022 where he made the first defence of his UFC heavyweight title against interim champion Ciryl Gane.
Despite injuring his knee ligaments three and a half weeks before the contest, Ngannou would go onto win the fight via unanimous decision.
This would turn out to be Ngannou's last fight for the organisation after he could not a agree a new contract with the UFC. When discussing the reasons for failing to sign extension, Ngannou revealed in an interview with Ariel Helwani that the UFC denied his requests for the promotion to provide health insurance for all its fighters and allow athletes to pursue sponsorship deals.
Ngannou's departure was confirmed when he was stripped of the UFC heavyweight title on January 14, 2023.
Which MMA promotion does Francis Ngannou fight for now?
Francis Ngannou's next move in the world of MMA was announced in May when he signed a multi-fight deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
He is expected to make his debut for the organisation in 2024 when he takes part in the pay-per-view "Super Fight" division, but it is not just inside the cage where Ngannou will look to make an impact.
The former UFC heavyweight champion will also be a part of the PFL's global advisory board in addition to being the chairman of the upcoming PFL Africa League.
DAZN subscribers will in certain territories will be able to see Ngannou's eagerly anticipated PFL debut on DAZN (click here for more information).