Francis Ngannou is fighting for the UFC heavyweight belt this weekend.
His life story >>> Any movie that exists
It's criminally overlooked.
THREAD...
His life story >>> Any movie that exists
It's criminally overlooked.
THREAD...
• Francis is often described as the most physically gifted athlete the UFC has ever seen.
• However, I would argue as impressive as athleticism is... His brain is better.
• Francis' story has been criminally underlooked by the media. It deserves to be a Hollywood film.
• However, I would argue as impressive as athleticism is... His brain is better.
• Francis' story has been criminally underlooked by the media. It deserves to be a Hollywood film.
• His story isn't the cliche "work hard, hustle and believe bro".
• Francis' story is possibly the most superhuman high agency, grit and out the box thinking - ever.
• I've been down internet rabbit holes of his story since hearing it on @joerogan
• Francis' story is possibly the most superhuman high agency, grit and out the box thinking - ever.
• I've been down internet rabbit holes of his story since hearing it on @joerogan
FRANCIS' CHILDHOOD
• Francis grew up in Batie, Cameroon in 1986.
• He was raised most of his life by his single mother, due to his violent father.
• His earliest memories were the shame he felt hearing stories about his Dad being violent to his mother (Right).
• Francis grew up in Batie, Cameroon in 1986.
• He was raised most of his life by his single mother, due to his violent father.
• His earliest memories were the shame he felt hearing stories about his Dad being violent to his mother (Right).
• At the time, there was no free education in Cameroon.
• He had to walk 2 hours per day to school and couldn't afford the books.
• Francis worked *digging sand mines* from age 10-17 to contribute to his family.
(Below is him back where he used to dig)
• He had to walk 2 hours per day to school and couldn't afford the books.
• Francis worked *digging sand mines* from age 10-17 to contribute to his family.
(Below is him back where he used to dig)
• After seeing his Dad die and unable to contribute to the medical bills, he decided to start pursuing his life's goal:
1. Make it to America
2. Become a world champion fighter
• He was literally willing to do whatever it takes.
1. Make it to America
2. Become a world champion fighter
• He was literally willing to do whatever it takes.
• "I couldn't go to the airport and take a plane to France - I had to use all the back doors to get there." - @francis_ngannou
• The back door journey from Cameroon to Paris took him 14 months... and 6 failures.
• If this was a fictional story, it would be too crazy.
• The back door journey from Cameroon to Paris took him 14 months... and 6 failures.
• If this was a fictional story, it would be too crazy.
BACK DOOR 1 - CAMEROON > NIGERIA
• This was the easiest back door of the trip because of the open border between Cameroon and Nigeria.
• Francis headed North and crossed the border into Yola.
• If only the rest of the trip was this easy...
• This was the easiest back door of the trip because of the open border between Cameroon and Nigeria.
• Francis headed North and crossed the border into Yola.
• If only the rest of the trip was this easy...
BACK DOOR 2 - NIGERIA > NIGER
• Francis doesn't specify what exact border he crossed here.
• However, upon crossing more borders - things began to get difficult.
• Nice officers would ask for a bribe.
• Other officers would strip you down and take everything you've got.
• Francis doesn't specify what exact border he crossed here.
• However, upon crossing more borders - things began to get difficult.
• Nice officers would ask for a bribe.
• Other officers would strip you down and take everything you've got.
• Immigrants had to be innovative with how they hid their money.
• As the immigrants got more innovative, the officers also clocked on.
• This is a mental model called "The Red Queen" effect.
• "It was a game. You needed to know how to hide money." - Francis
• As the immigrants got more innovative, the officers also clocked on.
• This is a mental model called "The Red Queen" effect.
• "It was a game. You needed to know how to hide money." - Francis
How did Francis get around the Red Queen effect?
• He covered the money in plastic and he swallowed it.
Even if the officers strip-searched him, they wouldn't be able to find his money.
Genius.
• He covered the money in plastic and he swallowed it.
Even if the officers strip-searched him, they wouldn't be able to find his money.
Genius.
BACK DOOR 3 - NIGER TO ALGERIA
• Francis paid some professional smugglers to take him through the back door to Algeria...
• This back door was another level... The Sahara Desert
• It reached 150 Fahrenheit during the day time
• And 20 Fahrenheit during the night time.
• Francis paid some professional smugglers to take him through the back door to Algeria...
• This back door was another level... The Sahara Desert
• It reached 150 Fahrenheit during the day time
• And 20 Fahrenheit during the night time.
• It was him and TWENTY FIVE others in the back of a Toyota truck... through the SAHARA DESERT.
• Due to the lack of space, they had barely any water.
• Below is the nearest image I could find to his experience (This is at the same border + same trucks)
• Due to the lack of space, they had barely any water.
• Below is the nearest image I could find to his experience (This is at the same border + same trucks)
• "If you let go... you're letting go of your life." - Francis
• There was a mother with a newborn baby with them.
• She mentally cracked and wanted to throw her baby off the truck.
• The 25 others selflessly took it in turns to hold the baby - whilst holding on.
• There was a mother with a newborn baby with them.
• She mentally cracked and wanted to throw her baby off the truck.
• The 25 others selflessly took it in turns to hold the baby - whilst holding on.
• When they finally crossed the desert, the dehydrated Francis found a water well.
• "It was so dirty... it had dead animals in it" - Francis
• "I may drink this water and die - but if if I don't drink this water, I will die anyway. So I drank it" - Francis
• "It was so dirty... it had dead animals in it" - Francis
• "I may drink this water and die - but if if I don't drink this water, I will die anyway. So I drank it" - Francis
BACK DOOR 4 - ALGERIA TO MOROCCO
• If officers knew Francis was from Cameroon, he would be deported.
• However, Francis hacked his way around this... He bought a Malian passport
• Algeria had great relationships with Mali due to the war.
• If officers knew Francis was from Cameroon, he would be deported.
• However, Francis hacked his way around this... He bought a Malian passport
• Algeria had great relationships with Mali due to the war.
• He would get stopped by Algerian officers.
• "They played you psychologically. They have no way of really knowing (if you're Malian). They will decide whether to check (your identity) based on your reaction." - Francis
• "I was afraid as shit." - Francis
• "They played you psychologically. They have no way of really knowing (if you're Malian). They will decide whether to check (your identity) based on your reaction." - Francis
• "I was afraid as shit." - Francis
BACK DOOR 5 - MOROCCO > SPAIN
• Francis had 2 ways of crossing to small Spanish islands on the border of Morocco:
1. Ceuta
2. Melilla
• If he could get there, he could call the red cross and get asylum.
• However, these are some of the most violent borders in the world.
• Francis had 2 ways of crossing to small Spanish islands on the border of Morocco:
1. Ceuta
2. Melilla
• If he could get there, he could call the red cross and get asylum.
• However, these are some of the most violent borders in the world.
• "Morocco is a nightmare for immigration. It's the hell country for immigration" - Francis
• When you failed, the police would catch you and drop you back in the desert in Algeria. (Footage of police doing this below)
• Francis sometimes had to crawl back through the desert
• When you failed, the police would catch you and drop you back in the desert in Algeria. (Footage of police doing this below)
• Francis sometimes had to crawl back through the desert
• Before each border run, Francis lived in the Morrocan forests.
• He stayed during the winters and would find food from trash cans.
• "This rotten tomato is mine." - Francis chuckling telling a story of his argument with rats
Vox footage of the forest below
• He stayed during the winters and would find food from trash cans.
• "This rotten tomato is mine." - Francis chuckling telling a story of his argument with rats
Vox footage of the forest below
• The first time he tried crossing the border his whole body was cut open by the barbed wire.
• He couldn't get up - but he knew if he laid there the Morrocan border police would probably kill him.
Visualization of this insane border below. (Vox)
• He couldn't get up - but he knew if he laid there the Morrocan border police would probably kill him.
Visualization of this insane border below. (Vox)
• He was then presented with 2 options:
1. Hide in the forest and die losing his blood
2. Go to the hospital - and then get dropped off in the desert by the police
He chose the latter - survival.
He got dropped off in the desert SIX MORE TIMES.
1. Hide in the forest and die losing his blood
2. Go to the hospital - and then get dropped off in the desert by the police
He chose the latter - survival.
He got dropped off in the desert SIX MORE TIMES.
• What makes Francis story so special is:
1. Resilience - He refused to quit.
2. Iteration - Each time he would tweak his strategy.
10,000 iterations > 10,000 hours - @naval
He made sure he learned each time he failed the border run and updated his strategy.
1. Resilience - He refused to quit.
2. Iteration - Each time he would tweak his strategy.
10,000 iterations > 10,000 hours - @naval
He made sure he learned each time he failed the border run and updated his strategy.
• He began to cross the border via the water - but kept failing
• One of the guards told him they catch them because they have RADARS. They're alerted the minute they hit the water
• He started wrapping the boat in silver foil so radars couldn't detect it
Genius iteration ^
• One of the guards told him they catch them because they have RADARS. They're alerted the minute they hit the water
• He started wrapping the boat in silver foil so radars couldn't detect it
Genius iteration ^
• With his boat covered in foil, he finally gets to Spanish waters and calls the Red Cross who picks him up.
• However, he has to spend 2 months in isolation in a Spanish prison cell.
• He eventually gets refugee status because they couldn't deport him.
• However, he has to spend 2 months in isolation in a Spanish prison cell.
• He eventually gets refugee status because they couldn't deport him.
BACK DOOR 6: SPAIN > FRANCE
• In typical Francis fashion, he jumps on a train to France without any money.
• He arrives in France and starts living in a parking lot.
• I'm unsure if this is the exact parking lot - but this is the nearest one to the location I could find.
• In typical Francis fashion, he jumps on a train to France without any money.
• He arrives in France and starts living in a parking lot.
• I'm unsure if this is the exact parking lot - but this is the nearest one to the location I could find.
BACK DOOR 7: HOMELESS > UFC SUPERSTAR
• Francis finally gets to train under quality coaches.
• They get him to pivot from Boxing to MMA... and he gradually smashes his way through everyone to get to the UFC.
• He climbs his way up the UFC ranks in devastating fashion.
• Francis finally gets to train under quality coaches.
• They get him to pivot from Boxing to MMA... and he gradually smashes his way through everyone to get to the UFC.
• He climbs his way up the UFC ranks in devastating fashion.
• Francis now lives in his dream house in Vegas. (Achieving his goal of living in the USA)
• This weekend - he fights for the 2nd time against Miocic to try to become HW champ of the world
The king of the back door @francis_ngannou
• This weekend - he fights for the 2nd time against Miocic to try to become HW champ of the world
The king of the back door @francis_ngannou
• The "Francis Ngannou Foundation" was started by him to put gyms in Cameroon.
• He doesn't want any kid to have to make the journey he did.
• "Most of the time kids give up is because nobody cares about them." - Francis
Donate
👇
francisngannoufoundation.org
• He doesn't want any kid to have to make the journey he did.
• "Most of the time kids give up is because nobody cares about them." - Francis
Donate
👇
francisngannoufoundation.org
PS. If you enjoyed this essay...
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I occasionally send out a newsletter.
It contains:
1. Clouds - Mental Models + Big ideas + Crazy Stories.
2. Dirt - Tactics + Leveraged tools + Automation.
100% high signal. 0% spam.
Check it out ----->bit.ly/MentalModelsBD
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