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THE $80 MILLION REJECTION: WHY FRANCIS NGANNOU SECRETLY SNUBBED THE JAKE PAUL FIGHT

Why Francis Ngannou snubbed a massive $80M offer to fight Jake Paul on Netflix, despite Paul's brutal KO loss to Joshua.

THE $80 MILLION REJECTION: Why Francis Ngannou secretly snubbed the Jake Paul fight
Ngannou officially chose an $8m purse over Paul’s $80m

Ryan Harkness dishes out daily MMA news, offering unique takes shaped by 15 years of hardcore fandom. He's written for FOX Sports, Yahoo! Sports, UPROXX, MSN, Bleacher Report, HDNet, and CagePotato before landing at MMAmania.com in 2017.

So, Jake Paul just duked it out with Anthony Joshua on Netflix, raking in millions. But he also got his jaw cracked in a KO loss (check out the finish here).

It didn’t have to pan out this way. When Gervonta Davis bailed on his fight with Paul, Most Valuable Promotions searched for a replacement. Believe it or not, they called Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champ.

The fight would've been a cash cow and made sense. Jake Paul even backed Ngannou during his split with the UFC. Ngannou hadn’t boxed since his 2024 loss to Anthony Joshua. So why didn’t “The Predator” jump at the chance to fight Paul?

MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian is still scratching his head.

“The whole Francis thing was weird,” Bidarian said at the Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua post-fight press conference. “He talked about our chat in a couple of interviews.”

Those interviews showed Francis was puzzled why they’d go from a smaller guy like Gervonta Davis to someone like him or Anthony Joshua. He was thinking about it as a real fight, not just a show, which it clearly was.

But Bidarian was sure not to trash Ngannou, because you never know when you might need to call him again.

“I think Francis is a game-changer in fight sports,” Bidarian said. “He stood up to the UFC and showed what he’s about. This whole thing was just a bit confusing, knowing what kind of person he is.”

Ngannou's last fight was an October 2024 PFL win over Renan Ferreira. The PFL wants “The Predator” back in action soon, with their heavyweight champ Vadim Nemkov being the frontrunner. Word is, Ngannou’s PFL deal has that fight worth around $8 million… chump change compared to the $80 million he could've made fighting Jake Paul.

KENDRICK BOURNE REVEALS THE STRICT DISCIPLINE THAT SPARKED THE PATRIOTS' TURNAROUND

Kendrick Bourne speaks out! Discover why he thinks Mike Vrabel is the right fit and why he’s eyeing a 2026 return to the 49ers.

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Kendrick Bourne tops the list of receivers San Francisco wants to retain

Kendrick Bourne’s path through the NFL has zigzagged all over – some highs, plenty of lows, and now, another fresh start. He took a shot with the Patriots in 2025 after building his reputation with the 49ers. But honestly, that New England chapter ended before it even got going. Bourne didn’t just slip out the back door. He left with a lot to say about what he saw brewing in New England as Mike Vrabel took charge.

Once Vrabel arrived, you didn’t need to listen for rumours about a culture shift; it was obvious. Bourne noticed right away. He’s already got his eyes set on home, back with the 49ers, but even from a distance, he could see the Patriots were heading somewhere new long before their record showed it.

Talking about his exit from New England, Bourne didn’t sugarcoat anything. Losing the job itself wasn’t the hardest part. What stung was watching Vrabel put his stamp on the team, laying down the kind of structure and discipline Bourne knew would eventually pay off. He was blunt; things just felt different under Vrabel compared to before.

He put it like this: “After going through OTAs and camp with Vrabes, you just knew. Nothing against Mayo, but he just wasn’t ready. With Vrabes, the structure was totally different in how we studied, how we met, and just the whole vibe. Honestly, I was sad about it.”

This wasn’t just a guy being bitter. Bourne respected what was happening in New England and genuinely wished he could have been part of it, especially with a Super Bowl push on the horizon. He even admitted he’d wanted to be in that locker room when the Patriots finally made it back to the big stage.

Now he’s back with the 49ers, hoping to stick around. At 30, Bourne wants a new contract in San Francisco. He had a solid 2025, racked up 551 yards, picked up a contract bonus, and gave the offence a spark. The 49ers needed reliable hands, and Bourne delivered. He’s clear: he wants to stay, but only if the deal makes sense for him.

So now, the offseason gets interesting. Bourne knows where he fits best, but he’s still keeping an eye on what’s building in New England. That mix of looking back and chasing what’s next makes this part of his career one to pay attention to.

MRI SCARE: STEVE KERR ADMITS STEPH CURRY’S "NEBULOUS" KNEE MAY REQUIRE SECOND IMAGING

Warriors crisis! Discover why Steph Curry may need another MRI and how Jimmy Butler’s ACL tear shifts GSW to the play-in.

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Warriors star to undergo new MRI as knee pain lingers

The Warriors have been scrambling since Jimmy Butler went down with that ACL tear. He’s done for the year, and now Stephen Curry has to carry the offence on his own.

Right after the All-Star break, the Warriors are sitting in eighth place out West. That’s already shaky, and now Curry’s dealing with a knee injury too. The team calls it runner's knee; basically, he just needs time to heal. But then Steve Kerr gave an update that didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

Turns out, Curry might need another MRI. He tried to push through a full workout, but his knee just wasn’t right. Now, they’re waiting on imaging to figure out how long he’ll actually be out.

Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis still hasn’t suited up for Golden State. If Curry misses significant time, everyone else needs to step up in a big way. The Warriors already have one of the most average offences in the league, 15th at the break. No curry, and things get ugly fast. He’s already missed 16 games this season, and the team went 6-10 without him.

Losing Butler already knocked the Warriors out of serious contention. They’re pretty much locked into the play-in. Unless Curry suddenly goes supernova, it’s hard to see them catching the Thunder or making any real noise out West.

So, what’s next? The front office tried to swing big at the deadline, going after Giannis Antetokounmpo, though who knows if the Bucks ever really considered it. Giannis stayed put, but you can bet the Warriors will chase him again this summer.

If that doesn’t work, they’ll turn to other stars. They know the championship window is closing with Curry still on the roster. He’s still elite, but time’s ticking.

LeBron James even comes up as a possibility. If he declines his player option and hits free agency, maybe he’d team up with Curry for one last run at a ring.

Most likely, though, Golden State will look at trades instead of free agents to try to reload. Curry’s health isn’t what it used to be, and the Warriors know they have to make the most of whatever prime he’s got left.

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