UFC heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou had a full head of hair in 2013, but that doesn’t mean his life was care free.

On Thursday, Ngannou (15-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) posted a pair of images of a seven years younger version of himself. With long hair, two piercings in his left earlobe, and a Reebok shirt that would eventually become ironic, Ngannou is subtly smiling at the camera, standing on a staircase.

Delving deeper into the backstory, however, Ngannou explained the context of the images. They were taken upon his release from jail. Ngannou had illegally entered Europe and spent two months behind bars. Eventually, he was freed by Spain’s homeland security.

Here’s what Ngannou wrote in a deep and inspirational caption (three tweets combined):

“2013: 7 years ago we were freed by Spanish homeland security after spending 2 months in jail for illegally entering Europe by sea. This, after attempting for one year from Morocco. I had nothing (back) then but a dream and a faith of pursuing it. Some people will always tell you that it’s too late, that you can’t make it, that it’s not meant for you, that you’re not worth it, or that you can’t succeed without them (while their lives aren’t an exemple of success). Those voices are always around the corner to make you quit your dream and maybe your destiny. It’s up to you and only you if you let them get to your mind, but you can also reject or ignore the negativities around you and make it in your own way.”

Born in Cameroon, Ngannou made his way to France at age 26 to pursue a career in professional boxing. Eventually, Ngannou was homeless. His life took a turn when MMA became part of it through a boxing coach. Seven years later, Ngannou is knocking on the doorstep of his second UFC title shot.

Check out Ngannou’s tweets below:

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