UFC president Dana White has clarified his account of a physical altercation with former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, after Ngannou responded to White's earlier claims. White had previously accused Ngannou of grabbing him by the shirt and pushing him during a dispute in his office.
Speaking on The Mac Life, White said: “Let me be clear on something, too. When I say the physicality, it’s not like Francis Ngannou came in here and threatened us or did anything like that. But, as men, everybody who is a man knows there’s these situations... I started to walk out and he puts his hand on my chest, he says: ‘We’re not done talking yet.’ And I said: ‘Oh, we’re f***ing done talking.’”
Ngannou, who left the UFC in early 2023, had addressed White's earlier comments in an interview with Ariel Helwani. He said he was “tired of this stuff” and did not want to engage in drama, adding: “He must be the only person I ever ‘put my hand on’. In his office, that’s what he said, right? I’m sure he has a lot of cameras there.”
White also reiterated his disdain for Ngannou, stating: “There was nothing that made me happier than throwing that guy over to the f***ing PFL... We let them go for a f***ing reason. I don’t want to be in business with guys that I don’t like and that I don’t think are good guys.”
Ngannou has since fought in boxing and MMA under the PFL banner, with his contract reportedly nearing its end. He has expressed openness to fighting at a potential UFC White House event, but White's comments suggest a return is unlikely.
