With the global adoption of crypto surging continuously, a growing number of celebrities and athletes are agreeing to receive their pay and tokens in digital assets like Bitcoin.
In that context, Francis Ngannou, the (Ultimate Fighting Championship) UFC heavyweight champion, announced on Twitter on January 14 that he might decide to take 50% of his next fight salary and endorsements in Bitcoin. The Cameroonian athlete has his next fight on January 22. He stated:
“Been talking with my family and friends in the crypto space. Bitcoin is huge in Africa, and I’m thinking of taking half my fight purse in it. Bitcoin is the future, and I’m a believer.”
https://twitter.com/francis_ngannou/status/1482051242029240322
Ngannou Is In A Contract Dispute
It is worth noting that the champion has recently been in contract talks with the UFC. However, they have been at loggerheads over a new UFC deal with various boxing options. This athlete has also said that he “will not fight for $500,000, $600,000 anymore.” Whether that decision has anything to do with Ngannou’s interest in Bitcoin (BTC) as a form of payment for his fight purse is still unknown.
The champion had already said that Bitcoin is huge in Africa. That is not an understatement. Based on a Chainalysis report, the African crypto market grew by more than 1,200% in value from July 2020 to June 2021. The company believes that African countries got nearly $105.6 billion in cryptos.
Buy Bitcoin NowBitcoin And Crypto Sports Deals Increasing
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) promotion, where Ngannou fights under has grown to become a prominent global mixed martial arts organization. In July 2021, the firm announced a sponsorship together with a fight-kit partnership with Crypto.com, one of the biggest crypto trading platforms in the world based on trading volumes.
People familiar with that deal said that it is worth nearly $175 million and will last ten years. The deal is not the platform’s only foray into the sporting world. Previously, one news source, Finbold, reported that the Singapore-based crypto firm signed another agreement for around $700 million. In this deal, it would rename the Staples Center, which is the home of the Los Angeles Lakers, to the ‘Crypto.com Arena’.
