In January 2022, Cameroonian heavyweight superstar Francis Ngannou defended his UFC title defense against Ciryl Gane, in a fight that saw the knockout artist shed his slugger image for a tactical and workmanlike victory over the French contender. The defense marked Ngannou’s arrival at the zenith of the UFC hierarchy, and it set up a clash with one of MMA’s GOATs in Jon Jones.

But despite the hype, the fight never materialized. The issue was due to a prolonged contract dispute between Ngannou and the UFC, in which the two parties could not agree on terms. “In that contract, I’m not free,” Ngannou said when his requests were not met.