The big-punching heavyweight just beat Junior dos Santos in 71 seconds Saturday, and is now campaigning for a UFC title shot against the winner of Dan Cormier and Stipe Miocic’s rematch in August.
After the win, Ngannou was seen confronting the UFC boss Dana White. “I’m ready for the winner,” he said through the fence of the cage.
The UFC commentator and former middleweight champion Michael Bisping said Ngannou is “the Mike Tyson of MMA.”
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Francis Ngannou added another terrifying knockout to his win column on Saturday.
The Cameroonian heavyweight was seeking a third win in a row after back-to-back losses in 2018 dented his aura as one of the most feared punchers in combat sports.
But after stopping Curtis Blaydes and knocking out Cain Velasquez, Ngannou met Junior dos Santos head-on at the UFC on ESPN show in Minneapolis, thumping the Brazilian with shots he never saw coming, until he was on all fours, defenseless.
The beating was so raw and merciless it prompted the UFC commentator and former middleweight champion Michael Bisping to hail Ngannou as “the Mike Tyson of MMA.”
Ngannou had previously told Business Insider that he was taking things step-by-step, planning to KO dos Santos, before challenging for the UFC heavyweight title, and crossing over into boxing for a super-fight against the likes of Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury.
With part one of that plan done, Ngannou is now campaigning for a title shot his second after his unsuccessful tilt 18 months ago, when he lost a decision to then-champ Stipe Miocic.
“I think the only thing left now is the winner of Stipe and DC [Dan Cormier],” he said in the middle of the cage after the fight. “I want the title shot bad. I want my place in the division. I need some respect, I deserve it.”
After the win, Ngannou was even seen shouting at White through the Octagon fence , seeking clarity as to whether he was next in line for the heavyweight belt currently in Cormier’s possession.
“Yeah, we’ll talk,” White can be heard saying. “Yeah. I mean these guys still have to fight. Still got to have Cormier and Stipe fight. We’ll see what happens after that. Who wins. What if they get hurt? Or whatever happens.”
Ngannou said: “I’m ready for the winner.”