Francis Ngannou’s Coach Responds To Illegal Shot Claims After KO Win

Photo: Francis Ngannou (Instagram)

Francis Ngannou made a big return to MMA last night with a first-round knockout against Renan Ferreira. The fight was intense, with Ngannou using powerful ground-and-pound to finish Ferreira. However, there’s controversy over whether some of Ngannou's punches hit the back of Ferreira’s head, which is illegal in MMA.

Some fans on social media argue that Ngannou should have been disqualified for these strikes. But Ngannou’s coach, Eric Nicksick, doesn’t think the punches were illegal. He said, "I didn’t even hear or see any of that." Nicksick also believes the fight could have been stopped earlier because of the damage Ferreira was taking.

Nicksick explained that he thought the referee, Dan Miragliotta, should have stopped the fight when Ngannou started landing heavy blows. He joked, "This guy must owe Dan money," referring to the fact that the fight went on longer than expected.

Photo: Francis Ngannou (Instagram)

Before the knockout, Ferreira tried some submissions, but Nicksick wasn’t too worried. Once Ngannou gained the top position, his coach knew it was only a matter of time before the fight would end.

Ngannou also revealed that he had been dealing with a rib injury leading up to the fight. According to Nicksick, the injury was painful, but not bad enough to make Ngannou pull out. Ngannou pushed through after getting clearance from doctors.

Despite the controversy, Ngannou’s knockout win shows he’s still a force to be reckoned with in the heavyweight division. Source: Bloody Elbow 


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