Francis Ngannou wrote about losing an uncle recently
Francis Ngannou took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message for his uncle, Laurent. Ngannou, who is originally from Cameroon, hasn’t forgotten his roots and has visited the country several times in recent years.
The UFC Heavyweight Champion posted on social media about his uncle and brought up how big of a loss this was. The champion added that his uncle often helped him out with books and stationary, and even provided food at times, something that his father didn’t.
Ngannou added that Laurent had a huge family of his own. The champion also felt like he could have done more for the family member.
“R.I.P uncle Laurent.
“We lost a huge member of our family yesterday and I personally lost a role model myself. I could’ve counted on him to have at few books and pens every year while my own dad didn’t care that much.
“I knew that on my way back from school at 5pm – while I still had 5 more miles to walk – I could stop at his store and beg for bread and even if he was unhappy he’ll always give it to me sometime with peanut butter sometime with butter – so he was for years a last line for me and my family regardless of his multiple wives and dozen of kids.
“I tried my best to show gratefulness but somehow I still feel like I could’ve done more”
The Cameroonian has been out of action since defeating Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. Ngannou kept hold of the gold but fought with a damaged knee.
Ngannou recently underwent surgery for the same and is expected to be out for a major chunk of 2022. This puts the UFC in a fix since Ngannou cannot defend his title for a while.
The UFC could set up an interim title clash between some of the top stars in the promotion. The winner of this fight could face Ngannou when the champion does return.
Ngannou, who holds a 17-3 record in his professional MMA career, is on a six-fight win streak. He has been excellent in his last two fights and has showcased a brilliant wrestling game.
The 35-year-old was known for his powerful punches, however, his last two outings have proved that he can grapple with the best.
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