'I hope this guy is not messing with me' - UFC star Francis Ngannou opens up on meeting with 'big fan' Cristiano Ronaldo as he prepares for Tyson Fury brawl

The former UFC heavyweight champion happened to be staying at the same hotel as the Portuguese sensation earlier this year. Ngannou met a member of Ronaldo's entourage who revealed that the Al-Nassr hero is a fan of the fighter. Once he was told that Ngannou was there, Ronaldo requested the Cameroonian pay a visit to his room.

Ngannou said he was worried that it was all some sort of elaborate prank until he came face to face with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who showed that he knew a lot about the MMA star and went on to give him advice.

Ronaldo has been supporting the upcoming fight between Ngannou and boxing legend Tyson Fury, which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The friendship has extended beyond their initial meeting, too, as the Al-Nassr forward even gifted Ngannou a luxury watch ahead of the headline clash.

“We were sitting at the Four Seasons Hotel, which is where [Ronaldo] was living at the time," he told TNT Sports. "We met one of his guys named Richie. [He said:] ‘Actually, Cristiano is a big fan of Francis.’ Then he called Cristiano and he said: ‘Bring them up’ and they were in the pool and I'm like, even when I was going up: 'I hope this guy is not messing with me'.

"Then we get up there and saw Cristiano and he was basically waiting on us and I was quite surprised. It's Cristiano, right? We shake hands, we greet each other, like: ‘Hey, what's up’ and he was very cool, very familiar at the same time."

He added: “He was telling me stuff about me and how him and his family, they watch my fight at 4am. I'm like, man, you don't know who really watches you. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know me! But he knows me pretty good.”

After Ronaldo and his Al-Nassr side take on Al-Feiha in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday, Ngannou will face Fury in the crossover fight in Riyadh that same night.