Jose Aldo sides with UFC in Francis Ngannou debacle: ‘He shot himself in the foot’

Former undisputed UFC featherweight champion, Jose Aldo has sided with the UFC following the departure of former undisputed heavyweight kingpin, Francis Ngannou – claiming the Cameroonian “shot himself in the foot” amid his exit from the promotion in search of a lucrative deal in professional boxing.

Aldo, a former undisputed featherweight champion and one-time title challenger at the bantamweight limit, returns to combat sports tonight at Gamebred Boxing 4 – taking on fellow UFC alum and one-time opponent, Jeremy Stephens in the squared circle. A matchup between former professional boxing champion, Roy Jones Jr. and former undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Anthony Pettis will take main event honors. 

Himself departing the UFC in search of a move to professional boxing, Aldo exited the promotion following a decision loss against Georgian grappler, Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278 back in August of last year.

For Ngannou, the revered knockout artist left the UFC back in January of this year following the completion of his contractual obligations in December, with his status as undisputed heavyweight champion stripped to boot.

Jose Aldo claims Francis Ngannou “shot himself in the foot” with UFC departure

Linked with a slew of potential professional boxing matches in the time since his departure, Ngannou, who has welcomed a showdown with former WBC heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder – potentially in Africa – has “shot himself in the foot” according to Manaus veteran, Aldo.

“With all humbleness, I think (Francis) Ngannou shot himself in the foot,” Jose Aldo said during an interview with MMA Fighting’s Trocacao Franca podcast. “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,” Jose Aldo explained. “It’s like saying I wanna play soccer because they get paid millions but forget only five percent gets paid millions, and the rest make well 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 boxers can. Conor (McGregor), Ronda Rousey. People say women don’t make money and she’s made it, right?”