Francis Ngannou will make his Professional Fighters League (PFL) debut on October 19 against the promotion’s heavyweight champion, Renan Ferreira, co-headlining with fellow MMA legend and ex-UFC titlist Cris Cyborg on October 19.
Heavyweight Ngannou signed a deal with the PFL in May 2023 but has boxed twice since, losing to Tyson Fury on points in a display on his pugilist debut which established the Cameroonian-Frenchman as a potential force to be reckoned with in his new discipline.
The 37-year-old last fought on March 4, when he was knocked out in the second round of a boxing match against another British former heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua.
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
HE’S BACK!
👑The Return of @francis_ngannou
4⃣𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒
2⃣𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗦 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘
1⃣Gigantic night of MMAand it all goes down on October 19th #PFLSuperFights pic.twitter.com/mDHCFd6PBp
— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 7, 2024
Ngannou PFL debut
Cyborg will make her PFL bow in a title fight against Larissa Pacheco, who handed two-time Olympic judo champion Kayla Harrison her first MMA defeat in 2022 and won the 2023 season by beating Marina Mokhnatkina.
The event will be pay-per-view but no location or venue has been announced for what will be Ngannou’s first MMA bout since he beat Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022.
“I might have to fight in Saudi Arabia again,” Ngannou told the JRE MMA Show in July. “That’s what the PFL is working on.”
The chairman of the planned PFL Africa will return to the sport in which he made his name through 17 wins from 20 bouts.
Two of the best Women’s Featherweights on the planet battling it out for the first PFL Super Fight World Title 🏆@criscyborg 🆚 @lpacchec #PFLSuperFights | #BraceForImpact | Available on @ESPN+ PPV in US and on @daznmma Worldwide pic.twitter.com/6MpE5bI3PI
— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 7, 2024
Renan Ferreira record
Ferreira beat Denis Goltsov in November 2023 to win his title and knocked out Ryan Bader in the first round of the crossover PFL vs Bellator: Champions event in Riyadh in February 2024.
“I’ve been telling people about this guy for almost two years,” Ngannou said of the 6ft 8in fighter who is considered likeliest to test him from the PFL roster.
“I said, ‘watch this guy.’ Very athletic. Fast hands, one-twos, knees – very athletic. So, I think it’s going to be him.”
Brazilian Ferreira, who is known as The Problem, said: “I’s going to be a great show. Let’s go with everything.”
Ngannou, who left the UFC after failing to agree new terms, has said PFL welterweight and former UFC fighter Cedric Doumbe could also be on the card.
Top image: PFL MMA
