Cédric Doumbé over UFC contract snub: 'They f***** up'

04/10/2023 19:00

Cédric Doumbé could make the UFC regret missing out on him.

The multi-time GLORY Kickboxing champion made a spectacular debut for the PFL this past Saturday in Paris, scoring a nine-second knockout of Jordan Zébo in the main event. "Le Meilleur" was in talks to join the UFC at a Paris show in September 2022, but he was not cleared to compete and the promotion eventually moved on.

During an appearance on The MMA Hour, Doumbé was asked if he thinks the UFC is having second thoughts now about losing him to the PFL.

"I didn't think about [the UFC]," Doumbé said. "They did what they did, they f***** up. Now I'm part of the PFL. For me, the PFL is the future. They're doing very great, we've got Francis [Ngannou] now, he's part of the team. I'm part of the future. We are changing something, we are doing something great, so I didn't even think about [the UFC].

"They're doing their thing, I'm doing my thing, I think I'm the best, they lost something, now PFL earned something. … Of course, for sure they regret [not signing me]."

Doumbé was unquestionably the star of the show at Saturday's PFL Europe event, from the moment he walked out with a mattress predicting his opponent's demise, to the finish itself, to the fiery post-fight speech that saw him call out former coach Fernand Lopez for a past domestic violence arrest.

Even considering the biggest bouts of his kickboxing career, Doumbé agreed this is the liveliest reaction he's ever had for one of his fights.

"I think it's because of where MMA is now in Paris," Doumbé said. "Now it's legal, before it wasn't legal. Now it's legal and MMA is everywhere on TV now, mainstream. People, before they were watching soccer, they didn't know anything about MMA. Now they are interested in MMA and people are starting to get excited by MMA, that's why I think it's very huge, the hype is very huge now in France and I think I'm the No. 1 in France even in front of Ciryl Gane, with all due respect."

"I think I'm the leader, with all due respect," he added. "I'm way far the leader."

Doumbé does not plan to compete solely in Europe, noting that this past Saturday's event was simply a vehicle for him to debut and receive a push from the PFL. The 31-year-old welterweight plans to take part in one of the league's tournaments in 2024, with a seven-figure prize on the line.

Before then, Doumbé hopes that the matchmakers can find a marquee name to match him up with.

"Now I'm the biggest star, I think, in the PFL just behind Francis because he was the UFC heavyweight world champion," Doumbé said. "Now I want to make big fights before that $1 million tournament challenge that I know I will win for sure. I want to make big fights, like big superfights, big guys like Jorge Masvidal, or Nate Diaz, or Anthony Pettis. I want to fight these kinds of guys because I know that I can knock them out. I know I'm better than them, so I just want to show to the world who I am."