UFC president Dana White said he thought heavyweight Francis Ngannou was the next big thing. By the time The Predator got a title shot vs. then champion Stipe Miocic, the UFC publicity machine so focused on Ngannou that Miocic said it was obvious who the UFC wanted to win. But Ngannou lost. Then instead of coming back in storybook fashion, Ngannou lost an enormously boring decision to Derrick Lewis at UFC 226.
However, Francis Ngannou is back, with back with back devastating T/KOs, most recently vs. Cain Velasquez on Sunday night at the UFC’s debut on ESPN. There was an odd parallel with Velasquez getting knocked out in short fashion when the UFC debuted on ESPN. And there a degree of controversy with the misinformed arguing that Velasquez was never hit, and lost because of a slip and knee injury.
As always, Twitter reacted.
So excited to see Cain back out there. Probably my favorite fighter of all time to watch. 1000 days off and coming back against this monster !!
— Chris Weidman (@chrisweidman) February 18, 2019
Holy smokes!! He is cursed ! First fox card now first Espn card !! Ngannou is a monster !!
— Chris Weidman (@chrisweidman) February 18, 2019
Really like Ngannou and Cain. Sad to see Cain go out like that. The new network curse has got him!
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) February 18, 2019
Wow. UFC on ESPN 1 ends exactly like UFC on Fox 1 for Cain Velasquez.
— Mike Chiappetta MMA (@MikeChiappetta) February 18, 2019
Wow. Unforgiving sport. I hope cain is ok. Great work to the predator!!!@francis_ngannou !!! So happy for him 👊🏾👊🏾
— JIMI MANUWA (@POSTERBOYJM) February 18, 2019
Fuck poor Cain
— C H🖕🏽T O🇪🇨V E R A (@chitoveraUFC) February 18, 2019
Long awaited return and then this. I’m gonna cry 😢 pic.twitter.com/LmGLJAhlVP
— Tatiana Suarez (@tatianaufc) February 18, 2019
You’re still the man @cainmma
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) February 18, 2019
@cainmma 🙏🏻 still the #goat of the heavyweight division
— Ian McCall (@Unclecreepymma) February 18, 2019
Ngannou got booed all fucking week and he’s not even gloating. Talk about a class act. #UFCPhoenix
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) February 18, 2019
I think that might be the last we see of Cain… 😕 #UFConESPN #UFCPhoenix
— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) February 18, 2019
It was a right uppercut that really landed brutally that dropped Cain.
It is a clean and brutal #bink.
In #Canada you can see my #BREAKDOWN on it on @TSN_Sports @SportsCentre in 45 mins. @ufc @TSNUFC @francis_ngannou
— Robin Black (@robinblackmma) February 18, 2019
Watched replay again. Ngannou clearly landed that KO punch, which sent Cain buckling. That man has the touch of death #UFCPhoenix
— José Youngs (@JoseYoungs) February 18, 2019
Watching replay in slow motion clearly punches that knocked Cain down
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) February 18, 2019
https://twitter.com/streetfitebanch/status/1097361865968140288
You can clearly see Cain's head shoot backwards pic.twitter.com/rJ6qUG4bIl
— ○ D Y L V N ○ (@702_dylan) February 18, 2019
Short right uppercut dropped Cain Velasquez, and he landed awkwardly. Grimaced as his left knee twisted. Last thing in the world you want to see. Damn it.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) February 18, 2019
