Francis Ngannou Workout - Out of Africa

Welcome to our ‘Out of Africa’ Workout. The second of our MMA Legend workouts. Based on the training regime of Cameroon’s finest son Francis ‘The Predator’ Ngannou.

Want to skip the intro and go straight to the Francis Ngannou workouts? Click below!

🔥 Introduction

On March 27, 2021, Francis ‘The Predator’ Ngannou made history when he became the first Cameroonian to hold the UFC Heavyweight Championship. The long-anticipated title fight was a rematch against Stipe Miocic, who had comprehensively defeated Ngannou at UFC 220 three years earlier. On that occasion, Ngannou’s formidable strength, power and boxing were not enough to overcome the wrestling, experience and tactics of the veteran Miocic.

The rematch was different. A more patient and technically developed Ngannou stopped Miocic in the second round, completing a remarkable journey from the sand mines of Cameroon to the summit of heavyweight MMA. Already regarded as one of the most intimidating fighters in combat sports, Ngannou now had the championship to accompany his fearsome reputation and devastating knockout power.

Francis Ngannou completes his journey to the top, stopping Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 to claim the UFC Heavyweight Championship for the first time.

But becoming UFC champion was not the end of the story. Ngannou would defend his title, leave the UFC as reigning heavyweight champion, cross over into elite-level professional boxing and continue his combat-sports career outside the organisation that made him famous. His journey has become about considerably more than simply possessing extraordinary punching power.

Our post looks at the background of Francis Ngannou, his development as a fighter, his training methods and the mindset behind his remarkable rise to the top.

🗂️ Background

Click on the links below for more on Francis Ngannou’s background.

🇨🇲 From Batié to Boxing

Francis Ngannou was born in Batié, Cameroon, in September 1986. Growing up in poverty with few opportunities, he began working in a sand quarry from around the age of ten to help support himself and his family.

Determined to find another path, Ngannou became interested in boxing, inspired by Mike Tyson. He began training at 22 while working odd jobs, but soon realised that pursuing a professional fighting career would probably mean leaving Cameroon.

🌍 The Journey to Europe

In 2012, Ngannou left Cameroon and began an arduous journey towards Europe. Travelling north through Africa, he crossed the Sahara and eventually reached Morocco, where he repeatedly attempted to enter Spanish territory.

After numerous failed attempts, Ngannou finally made it into Spain, where he was detained for entering the country illegally. After his release, he continued north towards the destination he believed could finally give him his opportunity: Paris.

🏚️ Homeless in Paris

Ngannou arrived in Paris in 2013 with virtually nothing. He knew nobody, had little money and initially slept rough. His circumstances had changed dramatically, but his ambition had not. He still wanted to become a professional boxer.

His search for somewhere to train eventually brought him into contact with people willing to help. Ngannou was introduced to coach Fernand Lopez and the MMA Factory, where his extraordinary physical potential quickly became apparent.

Ngannou knew little about mixed martial arts and initially remained focused on boxing. Nevertheless, he agreed to try MMA and made his professional debut later that year.

🥋 Building The Predator

Ngannou developed rapidly. After gaining experience on the European circuit, he signed with the UFC and made his debut in December 2015.

His combination of size, athleticism and extraordinary knockout power immediately made him stand out in the heavyweight division. Six consecutive UFC victories, including a devastating knockout of Alistair Overeem, propelled Ngannou into his first heavyweight title fight.

🏆 Becoming UFC Heavyweight Champion

Ngannou lost his first title fight against Stipe Miocic in 2018, with Miocic exploiting weaknesses in his wrestling, conditioning and fight management. Ngannou rebuilt, however, and four consecutive first-round knockouts earned him a rematch at UFC 260 in 2021.

A more patient and complete Ngannou stopped Miocic in the second round to become UFC Heavyweight Champion. He later defended the title against Ciryl Gane, using wrestling and grappling to secure victory while fighting with a serious knee injury.

🚪 Walking Away From The UFC

Following lengthy contract negotiations, Ngannou left the UFC in 2023 while still heavyweight champion. He wanted greater control over his career and, crucially, the freedom to pursue professional boxing.

He subsequently signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) while retaining the ability to compete outside MMA.

🥊 Ngannou The Boxer

In October 2023, Ngannou finally realised the boxing ambition that had started his journey more than a decade earlier. Facing undefeated heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, he shocked the boxing world by knocking Fury down and pushing him to a split decision.

A second major boxing contest followed against Anthony Joshua in 2024. This time Ngannou experienced the other side of elite heavyweight boxing, suffering a second-round knockout defeat.

⚔️ Life After The UFC

Ngannou’s life was struck by tragedy in 2024 with the death of his young son, Kobe. Later that year, after almost three years away from MMA competition, he returned to face Renan Ferreira.

Ngannou won by first-round knockout, becoming the PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Champion and providing another chapter in an already remarkable career.

Ngannou and the PFL subsequently parted ways in 2026. From the sand quarries of Cameroon to Paris, the UFC heavyweight championship, professional boxing and beyond, his career has been built around an extraordinary willingness to take risks in pursuit of something greater.

🧠 Style

Naturally, Ngannou’s go-to style is boxing, a sport he had wanted to pursue long before discovering MMA. Early in his career, his enormous size, athleticism and raw punching power allowed him to overwhelm opponents before they had much opportunity to test the rest of his game.

Ngannou became famous for recording the highest score on the UFC Performance Institute’s punching-power test, a result widely promoted as equivalent to around 96 horsepower. Whatever the value of the comparison, his record inside the cage provides more convincing evidence. Ngannou has stopped elite heavyweights including Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Curtis Blaydes, often with frightening speed.

His power is not simply about throwing wild punches. At his best, Ngannou uses patience, timing and explosive acceleration to create openings, with relatively short punches capable of producing enormous force.

Another KO, another walkoff. The punching power of the Predator has been evident in his last few fights. Putting away seasoned veterans on a regular basis within early rounds.

🤼🏿 Back to the Drawing Board

His first defeat to Stipe Miocic at UFC 220 exposed the limitations of relying too heavily on power. Miocic survived Ngannou’s early attacks before using wrestling, positional control and superior pacing to dominate the later rounds.

Ngannou subsequently worked extensively on his wrestling and grappling, training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas and working with high-level wrestlers including Kamaru Usman. Just as importantly, he became more patient and composed inside the cage rather than constantly hunting for an immediate knockout.

The difference was evident in the Miocic rematch at UFC 260. Ngannou attacked the legs with kicks, controlled his aggression and, crucially, successfully defended Miocic’s takedown attempt before taking his back and landing punches of his own. Moments later, he knocked Miocic out to become heavyweight champion.

His title defence against Ciryl Gane provided further evidence of that evolution. Unable to rely entirely on his usual explosiveness because of a serious knee injury, Ngannou turned to wrestling and top control to grind out a decision victory. The devastating puncher had developed into a considerably more complete mixed martial artist.

📊 Stats

🏆 Fight Record

🏟️ Significant Professional Fights

Click on the links below for more details on Francis Ngannou significant fights.

Francis Ngannou vs. Alistair Overeem

On 2 December 2017, at UFC 218, Francis Ngannou faced veteran Alistair Overeem in one of the biggest fights of his career. It took Ngannou just 1:42 to dispatch ‘The Demolition Man,’ who was competing in his 60th professional fight.

The bout began with Overeem rushing in with a wild left hook and a failed takedown attempt, but Ngannou stayed composed. Back in the centre of the Octagon, an exchange of strikes ended when Ngannou unleashed a devastating left uppercut, knocking Overeem out cold. A follow-up hammerfist sealed the deal before the referee stepped in.

This knockout is widely regarded as one of the most brutal in UFC history, cementing Ngannou’s reputation as a fearsome heavyweight contender.

Francis Ngannou vs. Stipe Miocic I (UFC 220)

After defeating Overeem, Ngannou secured a title shot against Stipe Miocic at UFC 220 on 20 January 2018. But with only six weeks to prepare — and no U.S.-based camp or manager — he spent crucial time shuttling between Paris and the States, leaving him underprepared.

Facing Miocic, widely considered the greatest heavyweight of all time, was a monumental challenge. Stipe’s superior wrestling, game-planning, and fight IQ proved decisive.

Miocic’s Masterclass
Ngannou started aggressively, but Miocic absorbed the early power, dragged him into grappling exchanges, and repeatedly took him down. By the later rounds Ngannou was exhausted, his cardio and defensive wrestling exposed. Miocic earned a dominant unanimous decision.

Regrouping After Defeat
Ngannou’s next bout against Derrick Lewis was another setback — a hesitant, uneventful fight often labelled the most boring in UFC history. With two losses in a row, he hit a crossroads.

He rebuilt at Xtreme Couture, sharpening his wrestling, grappling, and conditioning while adopting a calmer, more calculated style. That shift marked a crucial turning point, laying the foundation for his eventual resurgence.

Francis Ngannou vs. Cain Velasquez

After changing camps, Ngannou faced former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez on 17 February 2019. The fight lasted just 26 seconds, with Ngannou securing a first-round TKO.

Velasquez opened with a few kicks, which Ngannou dodged effortlessly. When Cain shot for a double-leg takedown, Ngannou countered with a sharp uppercut. Simultaneously, Velasquez’s left knee buckled, sending him to the mat. Ngannou followed up with a flurry of punches, forcing referee Jason Herzog to stop the fight. While the replay showed the knee injury played a role, Ngannou’s power was undeniable.

The victory marked Ngannou’s resurgence after a difficult 2018, adding Velasquez to a growing list of victims, including Curtis Blaydes, both knocked out in a combined 71 seconds. The Predator was officially back on track.

Francis Ngannou vs. Junior Dos Santos

On 29 June 2019, Ngannou faced former UFC champion Junior dos Santos at UFC on ESPN 3. Ngannou opened with powerful low leg kicks, setting the tone early. After an exchange, dos Santos moved in to strike but missed, leaving himself open to Ngannou’s counter punches. As JDS retreated, he made a critical mistake by turning his back, allowing Ngannou to land a devastating left hook.

Dos Santos crumpled, and Ngannou capitalised with a barrage of strikes, forcing the referee to stop the fight just 71 seconds into the first round. The victory earned Ngannou a Performance of the Night bonus and further solidified his case for a rematch with Stipe Miocic and another shot at the heavyweight title.

Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik

Ngannou’s rematch with Miocic was delayed as Miocic completed his trilogy with Daniel Cormier. In the interim, Ngannou faced Surinamese powerhouse Jairzinho Rozenstruik on 9 May 2020 at UFC 249, following multiple COVID-19-related reschedules.

The fight was pure violence, lasting just 20 seconds. After a brief exchange, Ngannou blitzed forward with a ferocious combination, landing heavy shots that sent Rozenstruik crashing into the fence. Ngannou followed up with a barrage of punches before the referee stepped in to stop the carnage.

The win extended Ngannou’s streak to four, solidifying him as the top contender for the heavyweight title and setting up a rematch with the winner of Miocic vs. Cormier.

Francis Ngannou vs Stipe Miocic II (UFC260)

The long-awaited rematch for the UFC Heavyweight Championship took place on 27 March 2021 at UFC 260.

After the first defeat, Ngannou overhauled his preparation. He moved full-time to Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, cutting out travel and focusing on wrestling, striking, and ground skills. His team now included Eric Nicksick, Dewey Cooper, and Kamaru Usman, who helped refine his grappling, composure, and fight IQ. Ngannou also studied Miocic closely, learning from the traps that beat him before.

UFC 260 Main Event
Ngannou entered as a calmer, more complete fighter. He avoided reckless surges, controlled the pace, and stuffed Stipe’s takedown attempts with vastly improved defence — even countering a level change and punishing Miocic with heavy shots.

In round two, Ngannou scored a devastating knockout, earning a Performance of the Night bonus and becoming Cameroon’s—and Africa’s—first UFC Heavyweight Champion. It was the culmination of his evolution: from the streets of Cameroon to the summit of MMA.

💪 Training

🔥 Strength, Power and Conditioning

Ngannou’s training incorporates plenty of MMA-specific conditioning, including boxing, pad work, sparring, agility drills, resistance work and functional training. His physical preparation is geared towards developing the combination of strength, endurance and explosive power required of an elite heavyweight.

HIIT and bodyweight training also feature in his conditioning. Short bursts of intense work complement the explosive demands of fighting, while simple bodyweight and resistance exercises provide an effective way of building conditioning without relying exclusively on heavy gym equipment.

This combination of power, functional strength and high-intensity conditioning provides much of the inspiration for our Ngannou workout.

A rare resting moment for the Predator.

🔄 Fight Camp and Recovery

Ngannou trains intensely during fight camp, balancing demanding sessions with lighter training and active recovery. As the fight approaches, however, the workload is progressively reduced rather than maintaining maximum intensity right up until fight night.

During the final weeks, training becomes less physically demanding. Pad work and sparring can be performed with reduced intensity while recovery becomes increasingly important. This tapering allows accumulated fatigue to fall while maintaining the movement, timing and technical sharpness developed throughout camp.

It’s an important principle to remember when training like a fighter: hard work produces the stimulus, but recovery allows the adaptation.

🌍 Out of Africa Circuits

These circuits are inspired by the training methods and fighting style of Francis ‘The Predator’ Ngannou. Expect a hard-hitting combination of bodyweight exercises, resistance training, cardio, wrestling, and MMA drills, built around the strength, explosive power, and conditioning of one of combat sport’s most formidable heavyweights.

Time to unleash The Predator.

🧰 Equipment Needed

These workouts use mostly simple, functional equipment, although much of it can be substituted if you do not have access to everything listed.

Useful equipment includes sandbags, dumbbells, barbells, boxing/MMA gloves, a punchbag, sparring pads, medicine balls, and resistance bands.

📋 Structure

The programme runs over 5 training days per week, with Saturday and Sunday reserved for active recovery.

Each training day is divided into two sessions:

🏃 Cardio.
💪 Fitness and Conditioning or 🥊 MMA Training.

Complete a 30–45 minute cardio session in the morning. Your second session, performed later in the day, alternates between fitness and conditioning work and MMA training. For example, Monday may feature conditioning, Tuesday MMA, Wednesday conditioning, and so on.

Click on the links below for more details on the structure of the Francis Ngannou Workouts.

🏃 Cardio Sessions

The morning session consists of 30–45 minutes of cardiovascular training. Choose a method that suits the equipment and space available to you, while keeping the emphasis on developing the aerobic base and work capacity needed to support the harder sessions later in the day.

Running, cycling, rowing, skipping, or other suitable cardio methods can all be used.

🥊 MMA Sessions

These sessions incorporate MMA drills such as sparring, pad work, footwork, agility drills, and grappling.

Since Ngannou’s foundation is boxing, the sessions are naturally hands-heavy, with plenty of emphasis on punching, combinations, movement, and distance management. However, his development into a more complete mixed martial artist means the workouts also incorporate kicks, knees, wrestling, and grappling.

His wrestling improved considerably following his first fight with Stipe Miocic, with Kamaru Usman among the high-level wrestlers who later helped him develop this side of his game.

These sessions focus on punching, footwork, coordination, distance judgement, combinations, mobility, agility, speed, and explosive power.

💪 Fitness and Conditioning Sessions

The conditioning sessions combine bodyweight exercises, functional movements, cardiovascular work, and resistance training.

The emphasis is on developing the qualities that underpin Ngannou’s fighting style: full-body strength, explosive power, muscular endurance, and conditioning.

Heavy resistance work has its place, but these workouts also make extensive use of simple bodyweight and functional exercises. The objective is not simply to become stronger, but to remain capable of producing force repeatedly when fatigue begins to set in.

🏃🏿 Cardio Sessions

(3-4 days a week)

30–45 minutes of steady-state cardio. Bring out your inner Predator and, where possible, take the session outdoors into the fresh air.

Cardio to choose from:

Swimming.
Longer distance runs. 45 mins.
Rowing.
Stair climbing.
Cycling.

MMA Drills

(2-3 days a week)

These MMA sessions are focused more on speed, agility, and technical conditioning than maximum power. Treat them as lighter sessions alongside the harder evening conditioning work.

Keep the emphasis on movement, punch volume, combinations, and cardio, rather than trying to throw every strike with maximum force. The goal is to stay sharp, keep moving, and promote recovery without adding unnecessary fatigue.

📋 Format

Move from one circuit to the next after completing the required reps for each exercise. The drills combine wrestling and striking work, with some exercises using pads or sandbags.

If you don’t have the equipment, improvise. Shadowbox, use pillows or cushions for striking drills, or make your own sandbag. Training with a partner is ideal for some of the drills, but you can still adapt the session effectively if you’re training alone.

The main thing is to keep moving and get the work done.

🌡️ Warm Ups

Do 3 x 1-minute rounds of the following:

Jumping jacks.
Reverse lunges.
Ice skaters.
Burpees.
Inchworms.
Duck Walks.
Run-on the spot with punches.

🥊 MMA Workout 1

5 x rounds (30 seconds rest each exercise. 90 seconds rest between Sets)

Jumping rope (50 times).
Single leg burpees (1 minute – 30 seconds each leg).
Shadowboxing (1 minute).
High & low jabs (Move around concentrate on speed and agility) (1 minute).

👊🏿 MMA Combo 1 – (2minutes)

First Combo – (Jab, Jab, Cross – a,b and c) (x5).
Second combo (Jab, Jab, Cross, Lead Hook – a, b, c and d) (x5).
Third combo – (Jab, Jab, Cross, Lead Hook, Knee- a, b, c, d and e) (x5).

👊🏿 MMA Combo 2 – (2minutes)

First Combo (Jab, Jab, Cross, Uppercut, Front kick) (x5).
Second combo – (Jab, Jab, Cross, Lead Hook) (x5).
Third combo– (Jab, Jab, Cross) (x5).

🔥 Core – (3 x rounds)

Dragon Walks (1 minute).
Medicine Ball Slam (1 minute).

🔥 Finisher:

Freestyle on the heavy bag – Different combinations, move around the bag. Punch knee, elbow, kicks, keep moving, and don’t forget to dodge and weave incoming blows. (5 x 3minute rounds).

🥊 MMA Workout 2

5 x rounds (30 seconds rest each exercise. 90 seconds rest between Sets)

Jumping rope (x50).
Jab and kick drill (1 minute).
Power crosses: Alternate stances and rear hands. Use 90% power on the bag. Change stance. Sidestep around the bag. Throw another power cross with the opposite hand (repeat). (2 minutes).
Shadowboxing (1 minute).
Reverse burpees (1 minute).
Body uppercuts to the bag: Correct technique and speed (1 minute).
Core scissors (1 minute).
Medicine Ball Squat throws (1 minute).
Jab and elbow drill (1 minute).
Turkish Get ups’s (5 on each side).

🔥 Finisher:

Jump rope (200 times).

🥊 MMA Workout 3

4 x rounds (30 seconds rest each exercise. 90 seconds rest between Sets).

Jumping rope (50 times).
Shadowboxing with light weights – (1 minute).
Clinch knees to the bag (1 minute).