Former Glory Kickboxing Champion Cédric Doumbé accuses MMA coach Fernand Lopez of domestic abuse. Lopez’s ex-wife refutes claims. Controversy surrounds the MMA Factory founder.
| Key Points |
|---|
| Former Glory Kickboxing champion Cédric Doumbé accuses MMA coach Fernand Lopez of domestic abuse. |
| Lopez admits to a 2018 arrest for domestic violence and claims he slapped his former partner. |
| Lopez’s ex-wife refutes his recollection, alleging he knocked her unconscious on multiple occasions. |
| The victim criticizes French outlet Le Parisien for publishing unverified information. |
| Lopez has a history of controversy, including disputes with fighters and accusations of sabotage. |
This past weekend, former two-time Glory Kickboxing champion Cédric Doumbé made a splash in his debut under the Professional Fighters League banner — in more ways than one. In terms of cage action, "The Best" topped the PFL Europe playoffs card at the Zénith Paris. In the main event, the highly touted striker brutally knocked out his fellow countryman Jordan Zébo in just nine seconds.
While the aftermath has seen much attention placed on the lightning-fast stoppage, it’s also centered around a troubling revelation made by Doumbé in his post-fight interview. The Cameroonian-born Frenchman accused his former coach, MMA Factory founder Fernand Lopez, of domestic abuse.
Doumbé claimed to have heard the mixed martial arts trainer commit the act while on the phone with him. Lopez subsequently addressed the allegations in a feature published by French outlet Le Parisien. In it, the MMA coach admitted that he was sentenced to four months in prison following a 2018 arrest for domestic violence. The 44-year-old claimed he had slapped his former partner on one occasion, and also accused her of previously becoming physically violent towards both him, a daughter from another relationship, and his granddaughter.
Lopez’s ex-wife released a statement addressing the public attention on her past relationship with the prominent MMA coach, who notably formerly trained Francis Ngannou and currently guides the likes of Ciryl Gane and Nassourdine Imavov under his gym’s roof. The victim called out Le Parisien’s publication of Lopez’s remarks, accusing the publication of spreading unverified ‘lies’. She also insisted that she never wanted her private life to be aired publicly, but has been forced to speak out owing to Lopez’s decision to.
"All of this is a tsunami for me, I never wanted to talk about it or let anything from my private life show. However, despite remaining silent and calm for all these years, it’s clear that I’m still being smeared, and a new life is being invented for me. So yesterday, it was impossible not to react to so many lies in the article I read. It was this (rag?) article from Le Parisien that made me react. If he hadn’t opened his mouth, I had no reason to open mine, since until now, I had never done so despite the numerous public slanders I’ve been a victim of since 2022.
"So yes, yesterday I dared to say (even though in reality, I didn’t reveal anything) that yes, it’s all lies, victimization, turning the situation around, manipulating the masses, and using his media firepower that I never had and never will. And he knows it. And he plays with it. In short, everything I went through. but at the time it was in private, so I couldn’t have it documented. I thought I was crazy because my brain had been turned. And I’ve just HAD ENOUGH! These actions with impunity must stop."
Lopez’s ex-wife subsequently refuted his recollection of the abuse, insisting that it went well beyond just ‘a slap.’ She accused the MMA Factory coach of knocking her unconscious in front of her daughter on two separate occasions. She also firmly dismissed the claim that she had displayed violence to Lopez, his child, and his granddaughter.
"Let it be clear: I don’t want to air my private life in public. But the victim is me and my daughter, who witnessed everything. And I refuse to be portrayed as a violent woman and that the situation would have ‘escalated.’ That’s false. And for a newspaper like Le Parisien to relay this information without verifying it is a disgrace. To the point that it was this morning that the journalist asked me for the judgment, proof that they hadn’t checked anything before publishing their article.
"Furthermore, I am one of those people who ‘freeze’ in danger situations. I had zero reaction other than enduring the blows. We’re all fighters; you all know it’s the worst Neanderthal reflex. When I lose consciousness, and it happened twice, it’s my daughter’s crying that ‘wakes’ me up. So no, it wasn’t a slap, and no, we were not a violent couple. I sincerely loved the father of my child like never before. More than I should have. Everyone who knew us was aware of it. I endured and tolerated everything. That’s why I’ve always protected him for years and never said anything. He knows it and abuses this dominant position over me, over the media, and over the entire MMA sphere, which is also my sphere. But at some point, I just can’t take these attacks and this nonsense anymore."
While this certainly marks the most serious and troubling instance, the revelation of domestic abuse isn’t the first time Lopez has been involved in controversy. Previously, the mixed martial arts coach was branded ‘evil’ by ex-pupil Francis Ngannou prior to his title defense against the MMA Factory’s Gane in January 2022. That came after Lopez had accused ‘The Predator’ of intentionally attempting to sabotage his then-teammate’s entry into the UFC. Lopez has also been caught up in contractual disputes in the past, most recently relating to Slim Trabelsi’s move to Dominance MMA and Bellator signing, after which he threatened legal action.
