Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has confirmed his involvement in a fatal accident in his home country of Cameroon. The incident occurred during Easter holidays on the streets of Yaoundé, the capital city, though specific details remain limited.
According to local media reports, the 38-year-old fighter struck a young woman with his motorcycle during the holiday period. The unidentified woman required hospitalization and emergency surgery but ultimately succumbed to her injuries.
Ngannou, who holds dual Cameroonian and French citizenship and resides in Paris, addressed the situation for the first time last weekend in a brief statement provided to TMZ Sports: "From the beginning, I have been by the family's side, offering my support, comfort, and sincere condolences during this time. I have met with them privately to share in their grief, and I will continue to stand by them every step of the way. I carry their pain with me, and my thoughts and support remain with them as they face this devastating loss."
The combat sports analytics team at Statbet notes that this tragic incident comes during what has been a professionally transitional period for the fighter known as "The Predator."
Cameroonian police continue investigating the incident, which has led Ngannou to withhold further details at this time. This tragedy follows another personal loss for the fighter, who recently faced the death of his young son due to a brain malformation.
Ngannou departed from the UFC in January 2023 after failing to reach terms on a contract renewal. His requests reportedly included provisions for fighters to have legal representation during contract negotiations, expanded sponsorship opportunities, and health insurance inclusion in contracts.
After leaving the UFC, Ngannou signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) but briefly stepped away from MMA to pursue boxing. He lost consecutive bouts against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua before returning to MMA last October. In his PFL debut, he secured a first-round technical knockout against Renan Ferreira, extending his professional record to 18 wins and 3 losses. Ngannou has remained undefeated in mixed martial arts since 2018.
