Francis Ngannou certainly experienced the kind of next-level notoriety that comes with holding the UFC heavyweight belt.

But his compensation — especially as the top fighter in the most dominant MMA league on the planet — wasn’t something the Cameroon native liked to discuss.

“It was embarrassing,” Ngannou told Front Office Sports. “I’d get to places with some athletes that are not even on my level, and they’re talking about their deals and their revenue. I’d just shut my mouth and try to sneak out. … For about five years, it was a topic that I wasn’t able to talk about out loud.”