After being taken down in quick fashion during a meeting on Thursday night, a Manchester United star wants to face the lineal heavyweight champion of the world.
Andre Onana invited Francis Ngannou to come and watch him play this week at Old Trafford, with the Cameroonian duo meeting after the game. And while the pair are close friends, the PFL star did jokingly take his pal down and throw a few punches in a playful grappling exchange.
Fans were rightfully concerned to see such a stunt play out, particularly given that Onana is their primary goalkeeper. But it seems to have all been in good fun as the pair joked and posed for photos after the scuffle.
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Francis Ngannou takes Andre Onana down in viral Manchester United clip
It has been clear in recent years that Francis Ngannou is a massive fan of football, regularly meeting with stars of the sport and inviting them to watch his fights. Most famously, ahead of his showdown with Renan Ferreira he was joined in the dressing room by the iconic Cristiano Ronaldo.
He made a visit to Manchester on Thursday night to watch as Manchester United eeked out a 3-2 win over Bodo/Glimt. His trip made headlines, particularly after he teased a boxing fight with Derek Chisora while the pair sat together.
But the main event came when he and Onana met on the pitch after the game. After they took on a face-off pose, Ngannou took Onana down and rolled around with him in a grappling exchange, before throwing some fake punches and eventually letting him up.
Andre Onana declares that he ‘demands’ rematch in the ring with Francis Ngannou
The footage went viral when video emerged from a Manchester United fan account that seemed to show the pair get into a grappling match. Ngannou, who stands at 6’4″ just weighed in at 256lb for his MMA comeback, took down 6’3″ Onana and moved him around with ease.
But Onana has joked that he wants to get his own back inside the actual boxing ring, taking to Instagram to share his own, closer up, footage. He tagged Ngannou and captioned the video: “I demand a rematch in a real ring! Let’s settle this once and for all!”
Some fans joked that Ngannou should instead make the switch to football, and help with Manchester United’s defece. One wrote: “Ngannou to Utd can you imagine him defending our goal.” Another added: “Imagine he played for arsenal. Arteta would be having nightmare.”
Fans terrified as Francis Ngannou and Andre Onana scuffle on the pitch at Old Trafford
News page utdreport first reposted the video to X, captioning it: “Francis Ngannou flattening Andre Onana at Old Trafford.” Fans in the comments were keen to laugh about the clip, but some were concerned that the club’s main goalkeeper may have suffered an injury.
“Breaking news Andre Onana is out for the next decade due to broken everything,” one joked, with another adding: “Francis, brother, I love you. But he is our only good gk pls.”
Others noted how impressive it was to see a man of Ngannou’s size, 6’4 and over 256lb, was able to pull off such a manoeuvre in a sleek and safe way. “Disturbing how smoothly Francis did that, for a dude his size,” one wrote. “Rolled off like a comfortable cat.”
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