UFC can't erase Ngannou's legacy - Adesanya

Israel Adesanya says the UFC "can't erase Francis Ngannou's legacy" aft it appeared to region itself from the erstwhile heavyweight champion.

Cameroon's Ngannou near the UFC successful 2023 and aboriginal joined the PFL.

And successful a video published past week,, external the UFC edited retired his sanction erstwhile Adesanya referenced himself, Ngannou and Kamaru Usman - each erstwhile rubric holders successful the promotion - arsenic the "three African kings".

Nigeria-born Adesanya was speaking earlier his combat against South African middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis connected Saturday astatine UFC 305 successful Perth, Australia.

"You can’t erase Francis' bequest successful the UFC, it’s portion of what we’ve done. I cognize helium fights for the PFL present but it's past - trying not to speech astir it is silly," said Adesanya.

"I cognize there's this contention betwixt different promotions and the UFC but you tin ne'er erase past - the streets volition ever remember.

"It's conscionable a batch of thorax puffing. The UFC are astute people, this is conscionable concern successful the UFC. They'll rectify it eventually."

Ngannou, 37, was stripped of his UFC heavyweight rubric upon his departure from the organisation past year, citing a "lack of freedom" arsenic reasoning down failing to hold a caller contract.

In the past 12 months, helium has fought and mislaid to Britons Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua successful high-profile boxing bouts, and volition make his PFL debut against Renan Ferreira connected 19 October.

Adesanya, who moved to New Zealand astatine the property of 10, is looking to regain his middleweight crown astatine Perth's RAC Arena successful the archetypal all-African rubric bout successful UFC history.

The 35-year-old mislaid his loop to American Sean Strickland past September earlier taking a interruption from the sport, revealing that competing successful 5 rubric bouts successful 16 months had taken a toll connected his caput and body.

In January, Du Plessis defeated Strickland and is acceptable to marque the archetypal defence of his title against Adesanya.

The 30-year-old joined the UFC successful 2020 and has won each 7 fights connected his mode to becoming the UFC's archetypal rubric holder from South Africa.

If Adesanya beats Du Plessis, helium volition go conscionable the 2nd combatant successful UFC past to go a three-time champion successful the aforesaid part aft Randy Couture achieved the feat astatine heavyweight betwixt 1997-2007.