Mixed martial artist Francis Ngannou spotted wearing a Rolex

Francis Ngannou, the Cameroonian knockout artist who dethroned Stipe Miocic to claim the UFC Heavyweight Championship in 2021 before making a high-profile move to PFL MMA, was recently spotted wearing a Rolex Sky-Dweller ref. 326933-0004 — a watch that reflects the same ambition and precision that defines his career trajectory.

The Rolex Sky-Dweller ref. 326933-0004 is built around a 42mm Oyster case in Oystersteel paired with yellow gold elements, a combination Rolex calls Rolesor. The fluted bezel is rendered entirely in 18k yellow gold, giving the piece an assertive, two-tone character. The champagne dial displays hours, minutes, seconds, an annual calendar date, and an off-center 24-hour second time zone indicator — a clean presentation for what is genuinely complex information architecture.

Beneath the dial sits Rolex Calibre 9001, a manufacture movement that took years of development before debuting with the Sky-Dweller in 2012. It features a patented Saros annual calendar, which correctly accounts for months of 30 and 31 days and requires only one manual correction per year — in February. The ring command system, integrated into the bezel, allows the wearer to switch between setting modes for the calendar, time zone, and time itself. With 72 hours of power reserve and a chronometer certification, it remains one of the most technically sophisticated movements in the Rolex lineup.

Among collectors, the Sky-Dweller occupies an interesting position: it is Rolex's most complex watch, yet it has historically been perceived as more of a fashion piece than a purist's choice. That perception has shifted considerably over the past five years, with the Rolesor references now generating genuine secondary-market demand. The 326933 in steel-and-gold configuration is considered a sweet spot — more wearable than the full gold versions, more distinctive than the all-steel references.

Ngannou, who has built a brand that extends well beyond the octagon — a Netflix documentary, a boxing match against Tyson Fury, and now a PFL deal — wears the Sky-Dweller as someone who moves across time zones and industries. The ref. 326933-0004 retails at $26,900 USD, with grey-market premiums pushing street prices noticeably higher.