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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Farah Hannoun

Eddie Alvarez laughs off Dana White’s notion that Francis Ngannou is scared: ‘UFC simply lost the bid’

Eddie Alvarez blasted Dana White over his comments about Francis Ngannou’s departure from the UFC.

Heavyweight champion Ngannou parted ways with the UFC after failing to come to terms on a new deal. White said Ngannou now is in a position to fight lesser competition for potentially more money, and left because he doesn’t want to risk fighting UFC opponents.

Alvarez reacted to White’s comments, and the former UFC lightweight champion laughed them off.

UFC simply lost the bid for Francis, instead of admitting that, they go with the narrative the the scariest motherf*cker alive is afraid to fight in the UFC hahhahahahhahahahhahahahhaa These jokes write themselves #PHSUnreal.”

White said the UFC offered Ngannou a deal that would have made him the highest paid heavyweight in the promotion’s history ahead of Brock Lesnar. But Ngannou initially wanted specific terms in his contract, like being allowed to box while with the UFC, that White said the promotion did not agree to.

But Ngannou being scared to fight in the UFC? Alvarez said that’s a stretch.

“Nobody in the UFC is “afraid” of anyone. The men who fight there are there to fight the best … The UFC is afraid to pay fighters, this is the only reason people leave, fighters don’t give a f*ck who the next opponent is, they do care about what the pay will be. Keep it real and just say we lost the bid, Someone is paying more and end it there.

“It’s counterintuitive to pay fighters large purses because they become less cooperative and more dependent. The business works perfect when everyone is broke and begging to fight at the drop of a hat. Cooperation is key. Large purses disrupt their own business.”

Alvarez, who parted ways with the UFC in 2018, currently is a free agent. Alvarez signed with ONE Championship straight after, but the 39-year-old agreed to be released from his contract this past September.

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