Francis Ngannou Opens Up About the Tragic Loss of His 15-Month-Old Son

Ngannou with his late son

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, known for his immense strength in the octagon, faced an unimaginable personal tragedy earlier this year. His 15-month-old son, Kobe, named after the legendary NBA star Kobe Bryant, passed away, leaving Ngannou and his family devastated.

Ngannou, a typically private individual, revealed the heart-wrenching details surrounding his son’s death during an emotional appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast. He described the medical crisis that led to Kobe's untimely passing.

“He had some malformation on his brain, which is something that we didn’t know,” Ngannou shared. “He passed out twice. The first time was in Cameroon, we took him to the hospital. They didn’t find anything. The second time was in [Saudi Arabia], we took him to the hospital. They ran a lot of exams, they didn’t do anything. They did the EEG, they didn’t do the [CAT] scan or MRI, because according to them, their conclusion was that he had a swollen lung.”

Ngannou trusted the doctors' diagnosis, believing his son would recover. Unfortunately, while training in Dubai, Ngannou received the devastating news from his brother that Kobe had passed out again and wasn't breathing.

Minutes later, the nurse confirmed the worst.

“She said, ‘Well, he’s gone.’ Just like that. He’s gone,” Ngannou recounted. “What do you mean he’s gone? How come he’s gone? This kid was 15 months, he was bigger than 15 months. He was growing. He was the most joyful happy kid around. What do you mean he’s gone? Gone where? That was it.”

The loss hit Ngannou with a crushing force. He struggled to accept that his joyful, healthy son was no longer there. The grief was reminiscent of the pain he felt when he lost his father at the age of 15, but this time, as a parent, the helplessness and sorrow were even more profound.

“You get back in the apartment and see all his toys, the stuff that he was playing [with], the things that you took from him the other day and put here, it’s right there but he’s not there anymore and will never be there anymore,” Ngannou reflected. “If they ask you what do you want or what can comfort you, you don’t know. It’s nothing. It’s really about facing it daily, taking it one day at a time.”

Ngannou is now focused on raising his daughter and preparing for his return to fighting in the PFL. Despite the overwhelming grief, he finds some solace in the thought of being reunited with Kobe one day.