UFC tipped to release heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou amid contract row

Bellator middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi thinks Francis Ngannou should leave the UFC to pursue a big payday in boxing.

UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou fought out of his UFC contract last month by defending his title against interim titleholder Ciryl Gane.

It was the last fight of the contract Ngannou signed in 2017 and he will be free to leave in December, as his old deal cannot exceed a length of five years.

'The Predator' said he has missed out on around £5.2million after turning down multiple contract offers from the UFC.

But Mousasi - who left the UFC over pay issues in 2017 - thinks Ngannou would earn more money in one boxing fight than 10 fights in the UFC.

"I hope he goes to boxing and makes some money. They might let him go," Mousasi told James Lynch.

"They want maybe Jon Jones to come back, you know, and they might let him go [to] make an example. They do [that] stuff, a lot of fighters walked away and came back so I know UFC plays sometimes.

"If he wants to get paid, if he can do some boxing fight, [he'd] make in one fight what he'd make in 10 fights in the UFC. He should do that."

Ngannou has been heavily linked to a crossover fight with WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, with both fighters welcoming the matchup.

Fury, who defends his world title against Dillian Whyte in April, has even challenged the UFC star to box in 4oz MMA gloves.

Ngannou will be unable to fight again anytime soon, suffering torn knee ligaments before his fight with Gane that will force him out until October.

The Cameroonian is refusing to sign a new UFC deal unless they increase his pay and allow him to box whilst under contract with the promotion.

And former two-weight UFC champion Henry Cejudo thinks Ngannou - who made