Ngannou reunites with first MMA promoter backstage after Lins knockout at MVP event

Francis Ngannou stopped Philipe Lins by first-round knockout in a heavyweight bout at Most Valuable Promotions’ ‘Rousey vs. Carano’ event at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles last weekend, then had an unexpected reunion with the man who first put him in a cage.

Backstage after the fight, Ngannou crossed paths with Stephane Chafourier, the French promoter who had managed his early career. Chafourier was present at the event in a different capacity — overseeing his current fighter, Salahdine Parnasse, who also earned a first-round knockout win over Kenneth Cross on the same card.

Ngannou, now 19-3 as a professional, used the moment to reflect publicly on how far he has come since his amateur beginnings. He recalled that his first fight under Chafourier was an unpaid free tournament, making the payment he received for his second bout feel transformative.

“Mr. Chafourier. This is my first promoter,” Ngannou said backstage. “First fight, free tournament. Second one, I won 2,000 euros. I was so happy. He gave me a stack of 20 euros in an envelope. I went in the corner, was counting my money, was so excited.”

The 2,000-euro purse — equivalent to roughly $2,323 — represented a landmark moment for a fighter who would go on to become UFC heavyweight champion. Ngannou made his professional debut at 100% Fight in 2013, winning via armbar submission, before losing a unanimous decision in his second outing with the same promotion.

The chance encounter offered a rare glimpse into the early, unglamorous chapter of one of MMA’s most remarkable careers — a journey that began in obscurity in France and eventually led to the top of the sport’s heavyweight division.