Ngannou is popular but he was never a big UFC draw, and certainly not a 'Household Name'

[Mack Yancy]

Some of you really need to understand what star power is. Ngannou was never a household name. He was a big, jacked K.O. artist from cameroon, with a humble story. Perfect for MMA tier popularity, NOT enough to be a crossover mainstream artist. Some of you sherbros saw his cameo in Jackass fucking 5 and really thought he had ascended into the public eye.

His fight against Gane did something like 300K buys, and I wasn't surprised in the slightest. He's a quiet, respectful personality, but not an interesting one. You can like his story and admire his achievements but that doesn't equal clicks. Acting like a outspoken contrarian douche does. This is what Colby, O'Malley and Pimblett understand. And even none of them are really 'crossover' stars themselves.

The UFC has had 3 crossover stars. Brock, Ronda & Conor and that's it. Rampage came kinda close too, maybe. Brock has an asterix because he was already a WWE star. And if you want to be very loose with the term you might be able to argue CM Punk.

Tyson Fury probably would never actually box Francis but if he did, it would be the greatest thing to happen to Francis. He'd get beat up once in a boxing ring and clear around 7-12 million. Set for life, never have to fight again.

(And no Tyson calling him out doesn't make him a crossover star either. You casuals forget that Tyson has called out UFC heavyweights before.)

 

[Sasha]

his cameo in Jackass fucking 5

Wow I didn't know he did porn !

 

[13Seconds]

A household name is a person or thing that is well known by the public. Francis was by definition a household name in the UFC.

 

[Buff]

This is all true, but since his last fight he's been popping up in all sorts of strange places...

I think he's much more of a draw now than when he fought Gane.

 

[Odoylerules4lyf]

UFC sucks at promoting fighters so they all have to make asses of themselves on twitter. With the highlight reel Francis has he SHOULD be a household name

 

[JoeyJoeJoeJr]

doesnt really matter because at the end of the day hes going to make way more than he would have in the UFC. The next person to sign him for a fight will have to pay a lot.

 

[Poatan Power]

A household name is a person or thing that is well known by the public. Francis was by definition a household name in the UFC.

I think he's talking in context to outside the UFC, since he said "crossover mainstream" like in the first paragraph lol

OP's thesis can be summed up with Francis does not have Conor McGregor's kind of notoriety. His persona does not lend to it, although his life story should be a well funded movie or mini-series.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Jake Paul needs to help Ngannou with a YouTube page..

 

[Mack Yancy]

I well funded movie or mini-series.

You mean Hulu TV spot?

I have nothing against Francis but what story is there to tell, really? He was poor, had to work hard, traveled a lot and then started kicking ass in a cage. That's a 37 minute youtube documentary if we are being generous.

 

[Poatan Power]

UFC sucks at promoting fighters so they all have to make asses of themselves on twitter. With the highlight reel Francis has he SHOULD be a household name

I certainly think they have dropped the ball on making him a star. Even given the fact that we've got the wind of BLM and 'end racism' being in the end zones of NFL games, etc. and we have an African champion with a great backstory... and somehow they don't capitalize on this?

That being said, without that TMZ element, notoriety only gets so big. Masvidal, Conor, Diaz's, Brock... they all had that swagger to them.

 

[RockyLockridge]

There was a jackass number 5?

 

[Mack Yancy]

I certainly think they have dropped the ball on making him a star. Even given the fact that we've got the wind of BLM and 'end racism' being in the end zones of NFL games, etc. and we have an African champion with a great backstory... and somehow they don't capitalize on this?

Captilize on what?

Hardworking immigrant with big muscles kicks ass in combat sport? It's not exactly a new or unique story is it?

UFC could have done a little more, but he's not an interesting speaker. He's just a normal dude. You can't make a mega-star out of that in MMA.

 

[Oldman1]

Hi Dana

 

[surgeyou1]

Corporate fanboys are going to be whining about how no one cares about Ngannou while he's in the ring with Fury or Wilder.

 

[Mack Yancy]

There was a jackass number 5?

Truly ascended into the public sphere.

 

[Mack Yancy]

This is all true, but since his last fight he's been popping up in all sorts of strange places...

I think he's much more of a draw now than when he fought Gane.

Jackass movie was before Gane. He already peaked.

 

[Poatan Power]

You mean Hulu TV spot?

I have nothing against Francis but what story is there to tell, really? He was poor, had to work hard, traveled a lot and then started kicking ass in a cage. That's a 37 minute youtube documentary if we are being generous.

Uh....just chalk this up to another 2022 join date fuckery post

- Born in Cameroon (ouch)
- Becomes a child laborer in mining at 9-12
- Smuggled to Morocco (risking death and imprisonment)
- Jailed, dropped in the desert to die, lives in the bush, all while failing to cross the Mediterranean six times in a fucking raft when he didn't know how to swim
- Makes it to Spain, incarcerated for 2 months
- Travels to France
- Is homeless, living on the streets, trying to make it
- Makes it to the U.S.
- Makes it to the UFC
- Becomes the UFC Heavyweight champion

But yeah, all he did was be poor and travel a bunch and do some fights in a cage.

Have fun on my block list because you're a complete moron.

 

[Buff]

Jackass movie was before Gane. He already peaked.

Shit, I only saw it the other day.

Was super disappointed too - who the fuck is Poopies, and where the fuck was Bam?

 

[Mack Yancy]

and where the fuck was Bam?

 

[Mack Yancy]

Uh....just chalk this up to another 2022 join date fuckery post

- Born in Cameroon (ouch)
- Becomes a child laborer in mining at 9-12
- Smuggled to Morocco (risking death and imprisonment)
- Jailed, dropped in the desert to die, lives in the bush, all while failing to cross the Mediterranean six times in a fucking raft when he didn't know how to swim
- Makes it to Spain, incarcerated for 2 months
- Travels to France
- Is homeless, living on the streets, trying to make it
- Makes it to the U.S.
- Makes it to the UFC
- Becomes the UFC Heavyweight champion

But yeah, all he did was be poor and travel a bunch and do some fights in a cage.

Have fun on my block list because you're a complete moron.

I'd love to see when 'long time Sherbro poster' makes the crossover into the world of biographical film making. If you think the series of events of being pinballed around a bunch of countries and being arrested is going to make for a script of a 'well funded movie' then I can already tell you watch a fuck ton of Netflix Originals.

Don't quit your dayjob, 'Doctor'.