Watch: Francis Ngannou posts a video of him recovering from his knee surgery
Francis Ngannou underwent serious surgery to repair his right knee in mid-march. It was an extensive procedure that saw doctors reconstruct his ACL and repair his MCL, which the heavyweight champ injured while training for his UFC 270 fight against Ciryl Gane.
Rather than pull out of the bout, Ngannou stepped into the octagon and earned a decision win over Gane. It's likely to be the sole Ngannou fight of 2022, as "The Predator" now has a lengthy rehab ahead of him to get his leg back to fighting shape.
In a new video posted on his Instagram, Francis Ngannou shared his visit to the UFC Performance Institute where specialists there carefully checked his incision scars for signs of infection. The caption for the clip stated this was ten days post-operation, and Ngannou is still clearly in pain and struggling to get the hang of crutches.
In spite of this, he sounded in high spirits, saying:
"One day at a time. One step at a time, not even a day!"
Ngannou is expected to be out for the remainder of the year, which complicates his contractual situation with the UFC. According to Ngannou and his manager, his contract with the promotion has a five year sunset clause that makes him a free agent around the start of 2023.
Bon rétablissement notre champion... Francis Ngannou #UFC
#Cameroon https://t.co/q7eAMHTO2F
Tensions between Ngannou's team and the UFC have been high during these negotiations, but Ngannou's regular presence at the UFC Performance Institute suggests not all hope is lost when it comes to "The Predator" re-signing with the UFC.
Georges St-Pierre believes Francis Ngannou 'needs to get paid his value'
Francis Ngannou has stated that pay isn't the biggest issue when it comes to signing a new contract with the UFC. But according to former middleweight and welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, Ngannou needs to make sure he's getting paid what he's worth under any new deal.
On a recent episode of The MMA Hour, St-Pierre said:
"I’m telling him [Francis Ngannou] as a friend that he needs to get paid to his value. And if he’s not satisfied with what the UFC gives him, then go seek, go get your service somewhere else where they’re going to pay you well because he’s not young."
Ngannou is 35 years old. While heavyweights have been known to compete into their 40s in MMA, staying at the top of the division is another story. Stipe Miocic holds the record for most consecutive UFC heavyweight title defenses at three, so the window is small to make top money in the UFC.
Watch Georges St-Pierre's full interview on The MMA Hour below: