Francis Ngannou responds to Jake Paul and Dana White with gym focus – no words

Earlier this November, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou faced criticism from two prominent combat sports figures. Jake Paul and UFC CEO Dana White both made public comments about Ngannou’s recent career decisions, with Paul addressing his choice to turn down a boxing offer on short notice and White making accusations about Ngannou’s past behavior during his time with the promotion.

Jake Paul

Criticism focused on Ngannou’s decision in November to reject a fight proposal from Paul’s team. When Gervonta Davis pulled out of his scheduled fight with Paul in mid-November due to ongoing legal issues, MVP (Most Valuable Promotions) contacted Ngannou as a possible replacement for a Netflix event on December 19. Ngannou turned down the offer, saying the fight made no sense for his career trajectory. In response, Paul characterized the rejection as foolish, telling reporters that if Ngannou felt disrespected by past criticism, accepting the fight would have provided an opportunity to rectify his public standing.

Paul elaborated on his stance at a news conference in Miami, suggesting Ngannou’s perception of being disrespected made the decision illogical. “When you’re so confident and you’ve had all this bad publicity about your name over the last year and a half, this is a chance to put that right,” Paul said. Paul eventually secured Anthony Joshua as his opponent in December, with Joshua defeating Ngannou by knockout in March 2024.

Dana White

White’s criticism came via a performance on November 18 at the Flagrant podcast hosted by comedian Andrew Schulz. During the episode, White made accusations about Ngannou’s behavior during his time with the promotion, claiming that physical confrontations had occurred. White claimed Ngannou grabbed him by the shirt in his office during a dispute over a performance bonus and later grabbed UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell by the collar. White stated that Ngannou’s language barrier was not real and that his public persona did not reflect his real character.

Francis Ngannou responds

Instead of participating in a public dispute, Ngannou chose to shift his focus. Up Instagram account, he posted a message that reflects his approach to criticism. “Off the grid, on the grind,” he wrote, indicating his intention to focus on training and personal development. In a follow-up post, Ngannou wrote: “As I grow up, many things slide off me like a turtle’s shell. Happy Sunday,” a measured response.

This approach is a departure from Ngannou’s previous public disputes with UFC leadership. Over the past year he has exchanged social media criticism with White over contract negotiations and financial claims, but his recent response suggests that athletic focus is being prioritized over confrontation. Ngannou’s decision to withdraw from public discourse comes as he prepares for his next phase in professional fighting, having recently returned to MMA competition in October 2024 following a two-year absence.

Ngannou’s MMA return proved successful as he defeated Renan Ferreira by first-round knockout on October 19, 2024, to capture the PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Championship at the “Battle of the Giants” event in Saudi Arabia. The victory marked his first victory in almost three years and showed that his punching skills remained intact after his boxing venture. This record now stands at 18-3 in MMA competition, with his two professional boxing matches ending in losses to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

The timing of Paul and White’s criticism coincided with Ngannou’s period of focus on training and preparation. His reported statement to TMZ about Paul’s offer emphasized that the decision was not about money, but about strategic career direction. “If it was about the song, I would have told you,” Ngannou told the outlet. “It just doesn’t interest me, it makes no sense to me.”

Rather than answering criticism with counterstatements, he chose to communicate through short, reflective social media posts that suggested personal development and growth.

Paul and White’s criticism in November 2025 does not appear to have caused any change in Ngannou’s stated priorities. He continued to focus on his professional commitments with the PFL and his training regimen.