Ex-UFC champ Francis Ngannou 'involved in fatal motorbike crash' as girl, 17, killed
Francjson Ngannou - who recently became a world heavyweight champion in the Professional Fighters League - is reported to have been involved in a fatal motorbike crash in his home country of Cameroon
Former UFC star Francis Ngannou has allegedly been involved in a tragic motorbike accident in Cameroon that resulted in the death of a 17-year-old girl, despite the former heavyweight champion's attempts to save her.
The crash is reported to have occurred in the Omnisports district of the capital Yaounde, with several local news outlets, including Camer.be and ActuCameroun, reporting that Ngannou rushed the injured girl to Yaounde General Hospital, where she sadly passed away.
The exact details of the incident are disputed, with some suggesting Ngannou was on the motorbike that hit the girl, while others imply she was riding a motorbike that was struck by a car carrying Ngannou.
The incident is said to have taken place over the Easter weekend. The deceased girl, identified locally as Ntsama Brigitte Manuella, underwent surgery before her death but was unable to be saved, leaving Ngannou 'devastated'.
Ngannou, who briefly transitioned from UFC to boxing and is currently participating in the Professional Fighters League, reportedly covered the girl's medical costs, as per the Express. Reach have reached out to Ngannou's representatives for comment.
In a heartbreaking revelation last April, Ngannou shared that his 15-month-old son Kobe had passed away suddenly. Kobe reportedly received medical attention after fainting twice due to a brain malformation. Doctors initially thought he would recover following treatment.
However, after Ngannou had made the trip from Cameroon to Qatar for a training camp, he received heartbreaking news during a devastating phone call with his brother. Unbeknownst to him, a nurse was breaking the tragic update to his family that his son had passed away.
While speaking on Joe Rogan's podcast, Ngannou recounted the heart-wrenching moment with raw emotion: "[She said] 'Well, he's gone', Just like that. He's gone. What do you mean he's gone? How come he's gone? This kid was 15 months, he was bigger than 15 months. He was growing. He was the most joyful, happy kid around. What do you mean he's gone? Gone where? That was it."
Ngannou returned to MMA triumphantly with his last fight in October 2024, when he secured a knockout victory over Renan Ferreira, claiming the PFL heavyweight title.
Post-UFC, Ngannou briefly switched disciplines, stepping into boxing where he faced defeats by Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in much-talked-about fights in Saudi Arabia.
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