UK YouTube star and BMX rider Ryan Taylor has broken his silence more than two years after calling off his engagement to Nigerian billionaire heiress and DJ/entrepreneur DJ Cuppy (Florence Otedola).
The revelation, made during a recent episode of the “Ladders Podcast”, lifts the lid on what went wrong, and what the British influencer learned from the relationship.
The podcast confession
During a recent appearance on the Ladders Podcast, Taylor made several pointed comments about his former partner’s attitude toward Nigeria and Nigerian staff.
“Is it weird that I told you that she[Cuppy] didn’t like Nigerians. She came into my business and didn’t even want Nigerian staff,” the 32-year-old said, before adding: “I’ll just say that I never signed no NDA, no contract, no nothing. I wasn’t with all that. To be honest, what I got from that [relationship] was lessons. All I got from that was learnings.”
He concluded: “Everything that happens, happens for a reason. But the time that I met her … it was something that needed to happen. But do I regret it? No. Lesson learned. Next!”
When pressed on the podcast about the ultimate lesson learned from the brief engagement, Taylor said: “I learned that money is not everything, but not having it is.”
A high-profile engagement that fizzled
The engagement between Cuppy and Taylor was confirmed in December 2022 when, the daughter of Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola announced her engagement after only 25 days of meeting Taylor during the Gumball 3000 rally.
I can officially announce that I’m engaged! 💍💕
Only 25 days ago during @Gumball3000 driving rally, I met the love of my life.
Sometimes you fall for the MOST unexpected person at the MOST unexpected time and for the MOST unexpected reason.
I love you deep @RyanTaylor 💞
— Cuppy (@cuppymusic) December 12, 2022
However, by July 2023 users noticed they had unfollowed each other on Instagram, sparking widespread speculation about a split.
Ryan posted a selfie of himself in his car and initially captioned it: ‘If it’s blocking your spiritual growth. Let it go.’
The initial social-media message from Cuppy added fuel to the fire: In a post captioned “I never run into my ex’s… They can’t afford to be where I be without me #CuppyDat”, Cuppy seemed to reference her ex indirectly.
Taylor responded in the comments hours later with a trolling retort: “Neither can you 😂😂😂”. The public display of friction made it clear the end of the engagement was anything but smooth.
The intense scrutiny on the relationship was not helped by external factors. Weeks after the engagement announcement in December 2022, a viral clip surfaced showing Taylor with UK influencer Fiona Williams.
The romantic compilation immediately triggered public concern for Cuppy, with many questioning the speed of her engagement and her choice of partner.
Cuppy’s subsequent reaction was to dismiss the concept of a ‘perfect’ relationship, posting on X, ‘Who wants that “perfect” love story anyway? Cliché.’
Who wants that “perfect” love story anyway? 🥱 Cliché.
— Cuppy (@cuppymusic) December 11, 2022
While a brave face, it did little to quell the public’s skepticism about the boxer’s dating history.
Fans speculated that following the split in 2023, Taylor may have quickly reconciled with Fiona, prompting further backlash from Nigerian fans who accused him of using Cuppy’s platform for relevance.
It is also worth remembering that Taylor was not the first prominent British boxer of Nigerian descent linked to the heiress.
For years, Cuppy shared a close, celebrated friendship with two-time WBO heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua. Their connection, which she clarified was strictly one of "GOOD friends," sparked endless romance rumours, especially after she posted a photoshopped traditional wedding photo of the pair in 2020.
Eku Diamond Jubilee o 😂😭 #NigeriaAt60 🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/fIhokXkfTM
— Cuppy (@cuppymusic) October 1, 2020
Cuppy briefly revealed how the WBA heavyweight champion would one day make a good husband when he eventually decides to settle down.
In a brief Q&A on X(formerly known as Twitter), a curious fan asked, “Who you wanna marry, AJ? #AskCuppyAnything”, before she replied, “Well,@anthonyfjoshua and I are just GOOD friends, but he would make a GREAT husband one day!”
Well, @anthonyfjoshua and I are just GOOD friends, but he would make a GREAT husband one day! 💍 https://t.co/vZCXdQDITk
— Cuppy (@cuppymusic) November 20, 2020
Taylor’s latest comments confirm that the split was far more complicated than a simple disagreement, involving issues of cultural sensitivity, privacy, and, yes, the undeniable power dynamic of extreme wealth.
DJ Cuppy never provided an explicit reason for the breakup in her official comments but instead framed the failed engagement as a life lesson and an example of the unpredictability of life.
“Perhaps a cherry on top, last year I got engaged and I am no longer engaged but such is life and I know my story is still happening and there is more to come and I am okay with the uncertainties,” the philanthropist said in December 2023, while speaking at a Women in Management, Business, and Public Service (WIMBIZ) conference in London.
