Fernand Lopez Owonyebe (born 12 November 1978) is a French former mixed martial artist (MMA) and current MMA coach.[3] He is best known for having co-founded MMA Factory, the biggest MMA gym in France,[4][5] as well as being the former trainer of former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou and current trainer of former UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Ciryl Gane.[6] Since 2019, he has been director of the ARES Fighting Championship.[7]
| Fernand Lopez Owonyebe | |
|---|---|
 Fernand Lopez in training | |
| Born | 12 November 1978[1] Lekié, Cameroon[2] |
| Residence | Paris, France |
| Nationality | Cameroonian |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) |
| Division | Middleweight |
| Team | MMA Factory (2013–present) Free Fight Academy (2005–2013) |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 17 |
| Wins | 10 |
| By knockout | 4 |
| By submission | 3 |
| By decision | 3 |
| Losses | 7 |
| By knockout | 6 |
| By submission | 1 |
| University | INSEP[2] Université de Bourgogne UFR STAPS |
| Notable school(s) | Lycée General Leclerc |
| Website | www |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Background
editLopez was born in 1978[8] in a small village in Lekié and grew up in Yaoundé.[2] His father was a college professor and his mother was a high school teacher.[5][2][8]
In his youth his father signed him up for lessons in combat sports such as Taekwondo, Boxing, Judo and Wrestling to defend himself from bullies.[2][8]
In 1997, Lopez immigrated to France where he worked as an Electrical Engineer.[2][5][8] On the side he would attend sports science classes at INSEP[8] while playing rugby[8] in the Pro D2 league.[2] However a neck injury sidelined him in rugby and he had to have surgery to treat it, rendering him unable to move his neck for three years.[5][2][8] During this period, Lopez discover to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) leading him to gain an interest in mixed martial arts.[2]
After retiring as a professional fighter, Lopez became an MMA coach at Free Fight Academy for a few years before deciding to establish his own gym.[2][5] In 2013 Lopez and his business partner, a police officer, opened a gym called 'Cross Fight' which was later renamed 'MMA Factory'.[2][5][8]
Mixed martial arts career
editLopez joined Mathieu Nicourt's Free Fight Academy where he initially trained in BJJ.[2] Once his neck recovered, he resumed training in other combat sports like Wrestling and Boxing.[2]
On 11 March 2006, Lopez made his professional MMA debut after a year of training.[2] The bout took place at Xtreme Gladiators 2 where he submitted Cedric Deschamps via choke in the first round.[9]
Lopez's professional MMA career lasted for four years from 2006 to 2010.[10][11] He fought in various promotions such as M1 Global and Shooto, where his final record was ten wins and seven losses.[10]
Coaching career
editHe is Sports Director, and manages the MMA Factory with Benjamin Sarfati as President. Together they create an ecosystem that allows them to push their fighters to the most prestigious organizations including the Ultimate Fighting Championship. [12]
Initially this academy had two students, but grew very fast to become the biggest gym in France with over 600 students.[2][13] MMA Factory was one of only three gyms to receive sponsorship from Reebok, with the other two being AKA and SBG.[4]
His most notable student was Francis Ngannou, who became the UFC Heavyweight Champion in 2021 after defeating Stipe Miocic in a rematch at UFC 260 where Fernand trained Ngannou with no cost and allowed him sleep at the gym at no cost when Ngannou started training in Lopez's gym.[11][14][15][16] The relationship between Lopez and Ngannou has deteriorated after that, with Lopez stating that Ngannou has ego problems and had refused to pay gym membership fees after he had achieved success.[17][18][19] Ngannou moved to the United States to train at Xtreme Couture.[6][20]
Notable fighters trained
edit- Francis Ngannou - former UFC Heavyweight Champion[21]
- Ciryl Gane - former UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion[6]
- Ion Cuțelaba[22]
- Taylor Lapilus[23]
- Christian M'Pumbu[24]
- Nassourdine Imavov[6]
- Jérôme Le Banner[25]
- Cédric Doumbé[26]
Personal life
editFernand Lopez has been married to Charlotte Dipanda since April 15, 2023.[27]
The book Training Camp: “MMA, in the secrets of the battle of the titans Gane VS Nganou”, published in March 2023, is co-written by Lopez and Geoffrey Le Guilcher. This work relates the journey and the clash of Lopez's two champions: Gane and Ngannou for the title of world heavyweight champion at UFC 270 in 2022. Lopez also addresses the technical details of the training camps.[28]
Fernand Lopez obtained a degree in electrical engineering but very quickly became interested in sport. He graduated from the National Institute of Sport in sports performance and physical preparation and State Diplomas in four combat disciplines where he is one of the external speakers as part of training at INSEP.[8]
Fernand Lopez the “Management Factory”, an athlete career management agency, Fight Management College, a training school specializing in the supervision of combat sports.[12]
Controversies
editCédric Doumbé leveled accusations of domestic violence against Fernand Lopez following his victory at PFL Europe 3. He claimed to have witnessed an incident while on the phone with Lopez's ex-partner. Several statements and revelations were made by the key individuals on social media during this period. Fernand Lopez acknowledged engaging in violent behavior towards his ex-girlfriend, offering apologies.[29][30]
Mixed martial arts record
edit| 17 matches | 10 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 4 | 6 |
| By submission | 3 | 1 |
| By decision | 3 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 10–7 | Matteo Piran | TKO (punches) | ADFC - Round 2 | 22 October 2010 | 1 | 4:20 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Loss | 9–7 | Patrick Vallee | KO (front kick) | 100% Fight - VIP | 19 June 2010 | 2 | 2:53 | Aubervilliers, France | |
| Win | 9–6 | Eric Cebarec | Decision (unanimous) | 100% Fight - VIP | 19 June 2010 | 2 | 5:00 | Aubervilliers, France | |
| Win | 8–6 | Christophe Daffreville | Decision (unanimous) | PFC 2 - Pancrase Fighting Championship 2 | 17 April 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France | |
| Loss | 7–6 | Patrick Vallee | KO (head kick) | 100% Fight - 100 Percent Fight 2 | 13 March 2010 | 1 | 0:40 | Paris, France | |
| Loss | 7–5 | Danijel Dzebic | Submission (heel hook) | M-1 Selection 2010: Western Europe Round 1 | 5 February 2010 | 1 | 0:59 | Hilversum, North Holland, Netherlands | |
| Win | 7–4 | Nicolas M'Bog | Decision (unanimous) | PFC - Challengers 1 | 6 December 2009 | 2 | 5:00 | Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France | |
| Win | 6–4 | Karim Mammar | TKO (punches) | Shooto - Belgium | 27 June 2009 | 1 | 0:12 | Charleroi, Wallonia, Belgium | |
| Win | 5–4 | Cedric Severac | Submission (rear-naked choke) | PMKE - Pro MMA Kempo Elite | 6 June 2009 | 2 | 2:58 | Lyon, France | |
| Loss | 4–4 | Igor Araujo | KO (knee) | Yamabushi - Combat Sport Night 5 | 2 May 2009 | 2 | 1:29 | Geneva, Switzerland | |
| Win | 4–3 | Wojciech Jamrozik | TKO | PK - Pro Kumite | 21 February 2009 | 1 | 1:03 | Swindon, Wiltshire, England | |
| Loss | 3–3 | Vasily Krilov | TKO (punches) | M-1 MFC: Fedor Emelianenko Cup | 15 May 2008 | 1 | N/A | Russia | |
| Loss | 3–2 | Kamil Uygun | TKO (punches) | M-1: Slamm | 2 March 2008 | 1 | N/A | Almere, Flevoland, Netherlands. | |
| Win | 3–1 | Delivrance Nsomboli | Submission | MYT - Mix-fight Yveslines Tournament | 8 December 2007 | N/A | N/A | France | |
| Loss | 2–1 | Aziz Karaoglu | TKO | OC - Masters Fight Night 6 | 11 November 2006 | 2 | N/A | Wuppertal, Germany | |
| Win | 2–0 | Ali Yilmaz | TKO | OC 5 - Outsider Cup 5 | 13 May 2006 | 1 | 2:31 | Duisburg, Germany | |
| Win | 1–0 | Cedric Deshamps | Submission (choke) | XG 2 - Xtreme Gladiators 2 | 11 March 2006 | 1 | N/A | Paris, France |
References
edit- ^ "MMA Fighter - Lopez Owonyebe". www.mmafreeagent.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Bissell, Tim (18 January 2018). "Feature: Fernand Lopez and the Factory behind Francis Ngannou". Bloody Elbow.
- ^ "Fernand Lopez Owoyenbe : Entraîneur militant". Karate Bushido (in French). 28 April 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Fernand Lopez: The Mastermind Behind Francis Ngannou And MMA Factory Paris". MMAnytt.com. 5 December 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f "Avant-gardiste, par Fernand Lopez - Le MMA, comme une évidence pour Fernand Lopez". By Athlete (in French). 30 March 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Coach Fernand Lopez insists that future Ciryl Gane vs. Francis Ngannou fight won't be personal". MMA Junkie. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ "MMA Factory owner Fernand Lopez wants to build Ares FC into a major global MMA promotion". MMA Junkie. 7 April 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Gendron, Guillaume. "Fernand Lopez Owonyebe : Zéro tracas". Libération (in French). Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ Sherdog.com. "XG 2 - Xtreme Gladiators 2". Sherdog. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ a b Sherdog.com. "Lopez Owonyebe MMA Stats, Pictures, News, Videos, Biography - Sherdog.com". Sherdog. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ a b Dundas, Chad. "From Homeless to UFC's Next Big Thing: Francis Ngannou's Amazing Journey". Bleacher Report.
- ^ a b Lachaux, Valentin (30 September 2022). "Fernand Lopez - Benjamin Sarfati : l'interview croisée sur le MMA français". sportricolore (in French). Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Interview Fernand Lopez : boss du MMA Factory, head-coach de Ngannou". La Sueur (in French). 24 February 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ "MMA : le parcours hors-norme de Francis NGannou, nouveau champion du monde des poids lourds". France Bleu (in French). 29 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ Coleman, Joe (28 March 2021). "New UFC champ Ngannou slept rough on way to top, loved Mike Tyson and packs a punch". talkSPORT. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ Lesage, Julien (28 March 2021). "Francis Ngannou, ex-SDF et champion du monde de MMA : "Il sait ce qu'il a enduré pour y parvenir"". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ ""I Feel Like You Have an Ego Problem" - Francis Ngannou's Coach Drops Insider Details". EssentiallySports. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ Lynch, James (11 February 2021). "Fernand Lopez: Traduction de l'interview "Line Movement"". MMA DEFERLANTE (in French). Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ "Coach Fernand Lopez Claims Ngannou Refused To Pay Gym Membership". MMA News. 11 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ "Who Are Francis Ngannou's Coaches and Training Partners?". EssentiallySports. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ Dundas, Chad. "From Homeless to UFC's Next Big Thing: Francis Ngannou's Amazing Journey". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ Rigaud, Robin. "UFC Sunrise : Ion Cutelaba s'attaque à une légende !". MMAFACTORY (in French).[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Former UFC fighter Taylor Lapilus has a goal to return to the promotion in 2020". MMA Junkie. 12 December 2019.
- ^ "Christian M'Pumbu élève au MMAFACTORY". MMAFACTORY (in French). 1 April 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ SUBAKA, John (29 July 2019). "Jérôme Le Banner 46 ans remporte son combat de kickboxing par KO ! - Arts Martiaux Mixtes". ActuMMA (in French). Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Calhoun, Curtis (2 October 2023). "Cédric Doumbé Makes Scathing Allegations Against Former Coach After Statement Win At PFL Europe 3". MMA News | UFC News, Results & Interviews. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ ADANLE, Angèle M. (16 April 2023). "Cameroun: mariage civil de la chanteuse Charlotte Dipanda et Fernand Lopez". Benin Web TV (in French). Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Training Camp. MMA : Dans les secrets du combat des titans - GANE vs NGANNOU - Fernand Lopez, Geoffrey Le Guilcher". ActuaLitté.com (in French). Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ^ "Fernand Lopez admet des actes de violences conjugales : " J'ai levé la main sur mon ex-conjointe "". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ Parisien, Le (7 October 2023). "" Première touche, je suis KO " : l'ex-femme de Fernand Lopez décrit les violences dont elle a été victime". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 16 January 2024.