Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Silvia believes he would have easily beaten Francis Ngannou had he been of the same generation as him. At 47, the American downplays the Cameroonian’s techniques.
Francis Ngannou has left the UFC but hardly a day goes by without people talking about him. It has to be said that the Cameroonian fighter left his mark on the American MMA organisation. World heavyweight champion in March 2021, after beating Stipe Moice by knockout in the 2nd round, he brilliantly retained his title against Cyril Gane. When he signed up with the PFL, he left his title vacant. Despite all his achievements, Tim Sylvia believes that the “Predator” is not as strong as people think.
He’s a monster with heavy hands, but his punches come from his hips and he swings wild and crazy. He hits you, you go to sleep, but technical fighters like [Jon] Jones and Stipe, they could beat him. You saw what he did to Gane. He wouldn’t even stand with him. He knocked him down. It was an ugly fight. He talks a lot when he’s only won one fight and turned down the striking against Ciryl Gane,” says the 47-year-old American, who was UFC world heavyweight champion in 2003, 2006 and 2007.
The music was better, the gas cheaper, and the movies had soul and meaning. For Tim Sylvia, the fighters were much better than today, much stronger than Francis Ngannou.
Francis Ngannou is not that good Tim Sylvia remembers when the UFC had real champions… like him. Anyone who has followed the UFC for more than a few years can see how much the heavyweight division has changed over time. The guys have gotten bigger, faster and stronger, that’s undeniable. But have they become less technical for all that? Could it be that the heavyweight champions of yesteryear like Josh Barnett, Ricco Rodriguez and Tim Sylvia have a serious challenge against guys like Ciryl Gane and Francis Ngannou? On a recent episode of Submission Radio, former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia shared his thoughts on the modern heavyweight landscape. He notably believes that, if he was still in his prime, he would be a serious problem for Francis Ngannou, who recently joined the PFL but is still thinking of facing Jon Jones. “I don’t think Francis is that good,” Sylvia explained.
“He’s a monster with heavy hands, but his punches come from his hips and he swings wild and crazy.
He hits you, you fall asleep, but technical fighters like [Jon] Jones and Stipe, they could beat him. You saw what he did to Gane. He didn’t even want to stand with him.
He put him down. It was an ugly fight. He talks a lot when he only won one fight and refused the striking against Ciryl Gane.
