Francis Ngannou to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Ngannou fans. Speculation had been rife that former UFC heavyweight champion is about to announce his retirement from sports, at age 39, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 24/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being an athlete isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being an athlete just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouFrancis

For a little while on Monday evening, #ThankYouFrancis was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Francis Ngannou was unlike any other athlete we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouFrancis”
— @universalObserver, 23 Mar 2026

“I thought Francis Ngannou retired about 5 years ago?!?”
— @millythom, 23 Mar 2026

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