Fernand Lopez and Francis Ngannou have had a very famous falling out stemming back to the first Stipe Miocic fight. The UFC heavyweight champion then split after his fight with Derrick Lewis.

Fernand Lopez has been very vocal about his relationship with UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Despite everything that was said, Lopez does have some regrets.

“Absolutely, I do regret where things are between us,” Lopez said on his relationship with the UFC champion. “The truth is, I regret the situation between me and Francis. I have a bunch of other students that I have fallen out with in the past and we’re still friends and still call each other. But because of what’s said in some media, I don’t like this, makes me look bitter – makes me look like someone who will not let Ngannou go.

“I did not call the journalist and say: ‘can you call me about Francis, I want to say a bad thing about him.’ No, I'm over it. But I do regret it because our story was actually very beautiful.”

Fernand Lopez does regret the way things went but he admits he doesn't miss the UFC champion as a friend. He just wishes things were better between them.

“Do I miss Francis as a friend? No,” Lopez continued about the UFC champion. “I don’t think you can quite be friends with Francis. I don’t think you can miss him as a friend. He’s not family but he’s a cool guy. We’d spend five days together in a room without speaking much, just: ‘are you ready to train?’ and then when we go back and I’d say ‘do you want to go out?’ – we weren't speaking that much.

“Only sometimes he would have inspiration and speak for like two hours telling me his way to Paris from Cameroon. He was so passionate about the journey, but he’s a guy you don’t miss. But again, I do regret the relationship now.”

The quotes in this article first appeared on the Betway Insider blog.