UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou intends to invest half of his purse from UFC 270 into Bitcoin and plans on giving a portion to fans.
Ngannou is set to face interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane in the UFC 270 main event. This will be his first fight in the Octagon since earning the belt against Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 last year.
MMA journalist Ariel Helwani was the first the report the news via his Instagram page.
In addition to converting half of his purse into cryptocurrency, Ngannou will also partner up with Cash App to giveaway $300,000 worth of Bitcoin to fans through his Twitter and Instagram pages.
Ngannou’s reported purse conversion comes just weeks after former UFC title challenger Kevin Lee announced that he would be paid exclusively in Bitcoin for his fights in Eagle FC. He signed with the promotion last month after being let go by the UFC.
Ngannou joins a long list of current and former athletes who are dipping their toes into the world of cryptocurrency. Former UFC welterweight Ben Askren along with NFL stars Aaron Rodgers and Odell Beckham Jr. are just a few of the names involved in Bitcoin.
Ngannou’s fight against Gane could be his last with the UFC, as he and the promotion are still working to come to terms on a new deal. While UFC President Dana White has remained optimistic that a deal can get done, Ngannou has voiced his displeasure with how he’s been treated by the promotion in recent months and years.
It’s unclear if Ngannou’s partnership with Cash App and cryptocurrency will be a long-term deal or a short-term one, but it’s clear that Bitcoin is continuing to make waves in the world of sports.
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