Francis Ngannou claims to have bet on Justin Gaethje against Ilia Topuria

Francis Ngannou capitalized on Justin Gaethje's shocking upset victory over Ilia Topuria for the undisputed lightweight title last weekend at UFC White House, having backed "The Highlight" despite massive underdog odds.

Gaethje (28-5) faced Topuria (17-1) as a +500 underdog at some sportsbooks, but Ngannou questioned the bookmakers' logic. The former UFC heavyweight champion recognized Gaethje's track record of delivering compelling performances even in defeats and saw value where oddsmakers did not. Gaethje vindicated that confidence by forcing Topuria's corner to surrender after four rounds, claiming his third attempt at the undisputed title.

"I bet on Gaethje," Ngannou told TMZ Sports. "I saw these odds and I'm like, 'Something's wrong with these bookmakers.' Like, what's wrong? This is Justin Gaethje, man. Even when the guy lost, he always showed up and put on a show. He's good at taking people out… Thanks to him, I had a wonderful day. I'm having a beautiful week."

Ngannou was far from alone in his profitable wager. Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan reportedly won a $5.7 million payout from a $1 million bet on Gaethje and has pledged to gift the newly crowned champion a truck as promised. The upset highlighted just how undervalued Gaethje's proven consistency and striking power had been in pre-fight assessments.