Ok, you say that I am avoiding speaking about Dana, here is what I've heard and what I find strange. Francis told that there is no medical insurance in contracts. Dana White always say that they give fighters medical protection. That UFC pay anything that is needed for a fighter to recover. Because fighters are their bread and water. Dana said that they had numerous conversations with Francis, and he refused everything. How can Dana be bad, if he wanted to organize a fight, and Francis refused every offer?
Dana said, Dana said, Dana said. If Dana said water isn't wet would you believe him? Dana might as well be saying
we offered him loads of bad deals but he didn't take any of them and now he's saying Ngannou was scared of the competition which is complete BS. You've got to remember that the contracts ufc give their fighters makes them independent contractors and not employees, yet they don't let them fight outside of the ufc and they don't allow them to wear their own clothes or sponsors. You either are a third party or you're an employee but the ufc wants to have their cake and eat it too so they can get away without properly paying fighters. If you're making fighters sign contracts as essentially self employed then you need to let them be self employed and work out their own sponsorships and merch deals and do whatever else they want.
You say that fighters arent allowed to advertise others. As a crypto forum, I will answer with crypto facts - why we see Roobet, Stake casinos ads on fighters, if crypto.com is official UFC sponsor?
They can take sponsorships outside of the UFC but what good is that when companies pay for fighters to wear their branding during, before and after the fights. The UFC are sponsored by Crypto.com and Venom clothing. All that money goes to the UFC. They're not allowed to wear the sponsors on their clothing or shorts nor can they get their own clothing deals. The UFC is one of the only sports companies to do this. The UFC are being greedy by taking on exclusive deals that benefit them and them alone.
Francis loosing millions due to contract with UFC - was there a real offer for a boxing fight? Did anyone really promised him millions? Why after he did not sign new contract, he immediately sign new contract with boxing promotion, if Francis thinks he is so demanded for boxing? If he was so unhappy with UFC contract and wanted to be free, but continue to fight and earn, then why we dont see no announcements?
He's been a free agent for what, a few days? I'm sure he will announce something soon or is certainly working on something. He wanted to fight Fury before and Fury was also game bringing him out at the Chirsora fight but guess what, Francis couldn't do anything at the time because the UFC wouldn't let him, which is funny seeing as the fighters are supposedly independent contractors but can't actually do what they want. I might even understand it if UFC signed exclusive deals for them to only fight MMA with them but to not allow cross over boxing which will only bring even more eyeballs to the UFC is insane. Funny how Connor got that privilege but nobody else.
Take Francis friend - Adesanya. Both were champs. Why one is happy with UFC and drives exclusive cars, while other complains how bad UFC is? Maybe Francis just suck at negotiating?
Izzy has literally said they're both in different situations / deals and described Francis' deal as "atrocious":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uccT3RDWt90Some fighters seem to get better deals than others and some fighters certainly get Dana White Privilege.
And don't forget about situation between Francis and his french coach. Dont you find it strange, that coach said that Francis did not pay enough (or pay at all) or share % of his purse? Probably coz of his "UFC contract" and low payment?
You mean Fernand Lopez? Again, two sides to every story. Lopez has spoken about his regret of that situation and seemingly did many things that were untowards after the split:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X73As65cgBQMaybe it's like after a bad break up your girlfriend lying and telling everyone you have a small dick and were bad in bed. Said nothing when the times were good though.
My opinion on Francis stays strong. He is greedy. I am more than confident that he will have contract problems with other aswell.
It seems like you already had made your mind up on Francis long ago, but again, why is Dana/the UFC not even more greedy when they don't let fighters do what they want, nor do they pay them appropriately. If Francis feels like he's getting a bad deal, which he is, then he is free to leave and that's what he has done. That to me is being smart rather than just signing your life away to stay with a company you don't even like and know is exploiting you. Maybe he might not even get more money elsewhere but at least he will be free to do what he wants as he should as a supposed independent contractor.