Sergey Bilostenniy may now be considered a top heavyweight in the PFL scene after he finished former champion Renan Ferreira at PFL Sioux Falls.
Bilostenniy stayed on the outside, trying to work around Ferreira’s size advantage. Bilostenniy knocked Ferreira down in the opening minute with an uppercut, going to the ground with the former PFL champ, and dominating on top, but unable to score the finish.
Bilostenniy connected on a one-two in the first minute of round two before scoring a single-leg takedown and completely controlling again.
Ferreira appeared to hurt an ankle in an early third-round exchange. Then, Bilostenniy connected with a solid right hand that dropped Ferreira again. Some follow-up shots brought an end to the fight.
Sergey Bilostenniy Outworks Renan Ferreira On Ground Before Third-Round Finish At PFL Sioux Falls
Bilostenniy is now 4-1 with three finishes in the PFL since his promotional debut in 2024. He competed in last year’s Heavyweight World Tournament, losing his opening-round bout to Valentin Moldavsky.
Ferreira has now lost three straight, a stretch that started with his losses to Francis Ngannou at PFL Battle of the Giants. Prior to that, Ferreira won the 2023 PFL heavyweight season and quickly knocked out Ryan Bader in a PFL champion vs. Bellator champion matchup.
After already owning gold at light heavyweight, Vadim Nemkov now has a championship in a second weight class, defeating Renan Ferreira in the main event of PFL Lyon to become PFL heavyweight world champion.
After a little patience from both men, Nemkov was able to score a takedown. After landing a series of shots, Nemkov got into mount and began to try and find an arm-triangle choke. Ferreira looked to defend, trying to land from the bottom and find his own submission, going on to get into top position.
It was a fleeting moment, however, as Nemkov got back on top and worked his way back into securing an arm-triangle, getting the submission win and the world title.
Vadim Nemkov Becomes Heavyweight Champion By Submitting Renan Ferreira At PFL Lyon
Vadim Nemkov subs Renan Ferreira in the first.
There is absolutely no reason why Nemkov x Francis shouldn’t be made next. That’s a real heavyweight test for Francis, and he should be willing to take it.
Nemkov absolutely bullied the big man en route to the first-round sub. It did NOT look pleasant there for a moment, but dominant work as per usual from Nemkov.
I am a simple man. I will watch one round of Nemkov, a couple rounds if we are lucky and then spend six months ranting about how he should be in the UFC. Until the next Nemkov fight.
Nemkov vs Ngannou is probably the best HW fight outside the UFC you could make. Hell, it's better than 80% of the HW fights that the UFC could book themselves. https://t.co/s0KXo0YrmB
Nemkov went 3-0 in PFL in 2025, coming over following the promotion’s 2023 purchase of Bellator. Nemkov scored finishes of Bruno Cappelozza and Tim Johnson.
This was Ferreira’s first fight since getting stopped by Francis Ngannou at PFL Battle of the Giants in October 2024.
PFL CEO John Martin on Wednesday announced that PFL Lyon will take place on December 13 at the LDLC Arena, headlined by a heavyweight championship showdown between former Bellator titleholder Vadim Nemkov and 2024 PFL tournament champion Renan Ferreira.
Breaking news: PFL is heading to Lyon, France on Saturday, December 13 at LDLC Arena.
– Nemkov vs Ferreira: PFL Heavyweight World Title – Cris Cyborg vs Sara Collins: PFL Women’s Featherweight World Title
Nemkov last competed at the PFL Champions Series in Dubai this past January, where he secured a first-round submission over veteran Tim Johnson. The 33-year-old Russian is riding a dominant 14-fight unbeaten streak, boasting a professional record of 19-2 with 15 of those victories coming by way of stoppage.
Meanwhile, Ferreira returns to action for the first time since suffering a first-round TKO defeat to Francis Ngannou in their PFL Super Heavyweight Title clash in October 2024. Before that setback, “Problema” put together a four-fight win streak highlighted by knockout victories over Ryan Bader and Denis Goltsov.
The 35-year-old Brazilian powerhouse carries a 13-4 professional record, with 12 of those wins coming by way of stoppage.
Images: @vadimnemkov/@pflmma/Instagram
Cris Cyborg Faces Undefeated Sara Collins In PFL Lyon Co-Main Event
The co-main event of PFL Lyon marks the return of Cris Cyborg, who will square off against Sara Collins for the women’s featherweight championship.
Cyborg was last seen in action inside the SmartCage in October 2024, where she defeated Larissa Pacheco via unanimous decision to capture the PFL Super Fights women’s featherweight title. In 2025, the 40-year-old Brazilian legend has competed in the boxing ring, recording three knockout victories, two in March and another in May.
Earlier in her career, Cyborg defended her Bellator 145-pound title a record five times, cementing her legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greats. She enters this fight with a professional MMA record of 28-2, including 21 wins by knockout.
On the other hand, Collins will enter PFL Lyon riding a first-round submission victory over Leah McCourt at Bellator Champions Series London in September 2024. The 35-year-old Australian contender remains undefeated, boasting a perfect 6-0 record that includes three submission wins.
Daniel Cormier is confident that the UFC won’t struggle to maintain its status as the MMA leader following the recent PFL pay-per-view.
The Professional Fighters League has long looked to establish itself as a “co-leader” in the sport of mixed martial arts, and the promotion had one of its most important events to date this past weekend.
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the PFL’s latest PPV went down. Toward the end of what’s been an up and down first year post-Bellator acquisition, the organization looked to thrill audiences with the likes of Francis Ngannou and Cris Cyborg.
Suffice to say, the card ended in style and with plenty discussing the events that unfolded inside The Mayadeen. But when it comes to the PFL’s production as a whole, many remain unimpressed.
And during a recent episode of his Good Guy / Bad Guy show alongside Chael Sonnen on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Cormier shared that sentiment.
“It’s competition, but is it really competition? The WWE and AEW has some sort of competition. The WCW, when they were there, was competition to the WWE,” Cormier said. “Conor McGregor spoke on this last weekend. He said, ‘The UFC has no competitors.’
“I felt like, even though we were watching the biggest star outside the UFC, it was never more clear to me that there really is no competition,” Cormier continued. “Is it good that the UFC doesn’t have a competitor that can really push them?”
The PFL appears more than happy with how the Battle of the Giants PPV played out and was received, however. Founder and chairman Donn Davis claimed as much during a recent Town Hall-style interview with MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck.
PFL founder and chairman Donn Davis has claimed that there isn’t a UFC event in 2024 that generated the kind of viewership his promotion’s latest pay-per-view did.
With those two making their long-awaited returns to the cage in addition to Bellator gold being on the line between Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards, not to mention an exciting clash between Paul Hughes and AJ McKee, the Oct. 19 event was highly anticipated.
On that note, Davis recently conducted a Town Hall-style interview with MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck. The PFL chief took questions on a variety of topics from the mixed martial arts community, including some centered around the latest action inside the SmartCage.
When discussing how the event this past Saturday night performed, Davis made some bold claims. The PFL founder said his promotion’s research has shown that Battle of the Giants outperformed every event the UFC has put on this year in terms of viewership.
“I can’t answer the first question (how many PPV buys?). The second question (did it meet projected goals?), yes it did,” Davis said. “I actually made a post an hour ago…we actually provided eight viewership goals that we put out. Almost everything on this event, I put out one hour ago. What you will see is pretty astounding global audience numbers for this event.
“This event, by our research, beat every viewership number of every UFC event this year, and was very, very close to ‘Ring of Fire’ (Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk)…the biggest boxing event in five years,” Davis continued. “Overall, the same global viewership metrics of ‘Ring of Fire’. That was really something that was our stretch goal, and that’s what we achieved.”
As many pointed out in the comments below the PFL founder’s post on social media, the graphic doesn’t include viewership via pay-per-view on ESPN and DAZN and instead focuses on social media figures.
Rare in sports for excellence on global scale – we did it with PFL Super Fight: Battle of the Giants
But Davis went on to explain why a changing landscape in the broadcast and media realm means PPV buys are no longer the be-all and end-all when determining the success of an event in terms of global viewership.
“Right now, economics flow a very different way. In the sports world, it used to be just PPV buys. But now, money is made many different ways,” Davis stated. “Sponsorship, social media, host fees; there’s an economical bundle that is very different now. So there’s many metrics that matter.”
That falls significantly short of @ufc numbers throughout the year, with one example being numerous posts during April’s UFC 300 event. Of note was a video of Max Holloway’s buzzer-beating KO of Justin Gaethje, which surpassed 7.8 million views.
The coach of newly crowned PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou believes Renan Ferreira made a critical error in the lead-up to their clash this past weekend.
During an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, coach Eric Nicksick reflected on his man’s performance in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Xtreme Couture trainer spoke about the mindset Ngannou entered the cage with, explaining how it became more dangerous after Ferreira’s antics during their faceoff at the ceremonial weigh-ins the previous night.
“I just felt like there was a certain way about Francis, and especially after the faceoff,” Nicksick said. “I felt like Renan f*cked up by head-butting him and getting in his face, because it really took Francis to a different place. It really did. I’ve never really seen Francis, not necessarily mad, but it lit a fire under his ass in a different way.
“I’m thankful for Renan doing that, you know?” Nicksick continued. “When he did that, I looked over at Dewey (Cooper) and was like, ‘Yeah, dude. This is perfect. Thanks.’”
“The Predator” recently praised “Problema” in a social media post, branding him an “incredible competitor.” The Brazilian entered the contest off the back of a title-winning PFL campaign in 2023 and rapid knockout of Bellator kingpin Ryan Bader this past February.
This journey wouldn’t be complete without me thanking @renan_problema_mma for being a great sport, an incredible competitor, and for pushing me to go the extra mile every day in the past months—even though you kicked the hell out of my leg! 💪😉#BattleOfTheGiants@pflmmapic.twitter.com/22YHPIOUmo
PFL heavyweight Renan Ferreira has spoken publicly for the first time since falling to a devastating fate at the hands of Francis Ngannou in Riyadh.
In his return to Saudi Arabia eight months on from a rapid knockout of Ryan Bader at the PFL vs. Bellator event, Ferreira was the one on the wrong end of a quick conclusion in the main event.
While “Problema” vowed to upset the odds and stall “The Predator’s” debut inside the SmartCage, he was quickly taken down and ground-and-pounded into unconsciousness.
With many seeing the stoppage as late, there was some concern over Ferreira’s condition in the immediate aftermath. Fortunately, he returned to his feet for the official result and has since released a statement on social media.
On his Instagram Stories, the 2023 PFL champ admitted to being ” a bit broken” by the disappointing result. He did, however, vow to bounce back stronger and thanked his supporters for their backing.
“Hey guys, Renan ‘Problema’ here, a bit broken,” Ferreira said in Portuguese. (h/t Danny Segura). “Yesterday wasn’t a good day at work, guys, but I’m very happy with all our dedication and everything that developed through our work. I’ve always had the mindset of never losing, for myself, to fight any lack of dedication and commitment, and thank God I have a clean conscience. I worked very hard there, showed up well to the fight, and was happy to return.
“Unfortunately, my opponent was superior. He managed to impose a game where that I couldn’t defend the takedowns, which led to very hard ground-and-pound to get through. And that’s it, life goes on, we’ll be back. I want to thank everyone for all the love and support, we’re always together. Hugs.”
While Ferreira looks ahead to his opportunity to return to winning ways next time out, all eyes are on Ngannou and his plans in MMA.
Though his desire to lace the boxing gloves is seemingly far from fulfilled, the Cameroonian’s emphatic comeback to the sport in which he made his name has no doubt only increased the fans’ appetite for some major matchups in the cage.
After everything that he has been through this year, Francis Ngannou’s MMA return was a triumphant one as he stopped Renan Ferreira in the first round.
The main event of PFL Battle Of The Giants ended up on the ground early on after the former UFC champion secured the takedown.
His Brazilian opponent was able to threaten with a triangle choke, but once “The Predator” made his way out, he positioned himself to unload strikes.
Several unanswered ground and pound strikes — too many, in fact — laid Ferreira flat out on the canvas, leaving an emotional Ngannou to share a touching embrace with his coaches.
Ngannou spoke in his post-fight interview about how he was confident that he wouldn’t have lost a step during his time away but dealing with his emotions on fight week following the tragic passing of his son earlier this year was very difficult for him to overcome.
MMA Fans React To Successful MMA Return Of Francis Ngannou In PFL PPV Headliner
MMA fans and fighters on social media reacted to the emotional scenes as the Cameroonian did what he does best and delivered a scary knockout.
The post-fight comments also spoke about the stoppage of the fight, with Ferreira seemingly being knocked out only for him to be hit with several more big shots before referee Dan Miragliotta stepped in.
Wow they really wanted Renan Ferreira to die in there. Francis Ngannou is still the king at heavyweight. Nobody else has a claim till he loses or retires.
That was an awesome and much needed performance from Francis, but can't him and his team stop crying cause it's making me way too emotional now 🥹 #PFLSuperFights
PFL Battle of the Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira took place on pay-per-view Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!
The Professional Fighters League hosted its second PPV of the year at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the main attraction saw former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou make his long-awaited return to mixed martial arts.
Having not competed in the cage since a victory over Ciryl Gane in January 2022 — completing a pair of boxing matches opposite Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the period since — “The Predator” made an emphatic MMA comeback at the expense of last year’s PFL heavyweight title winner Renan Ferreira, whom he pummeled inside one round.
Setting the stage for the headliners was another Super Fights championship clash, with reigning Bellator featherweight queen Cris Cyborg debuting in the SmartCage opposite the PFL’s first two-weight champion, Larissa Pacheco. The 39-year-old legend continued to make history, capturing gold in a fifth major promotion by outpointing her fellow countrywoman.
Elsewhere, Bellator gold was on the line in the Middle East when middleweight champ Johnny Eblen ran it back with Fabian Edwards and the stakes were high when the massively touted Paul Hughes got a step up in competition against AJ McKee.
With the event concluded, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights!
PFL Battle Of The Giants: Ngannou vs. Ferreira Results & Highlights
Main Card:
Heavyweight Superfight Championship: Francis Ngannou def. Renan Ferreira via KO (ground punches): R1, 3:32
Having not competed in the cage since a victory over Ciryl Gane in January 2022 — completing a pair of boxing matches opposite Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the period since — “The Predator” will look to make an emphatic MMA comeback at the expense of last year’s PFL heavyweight title winner, Renan Ferreira.
Setting the stage for the headliners will be another Super Fights championship clash, with reigning Bellator featherweight queen Cris Cyborg debuting in the SmartCage opposite the PFL’s first two-weight champion, Larissa Pacheco.
Elsewhere, Bellator gold will be on the line in the Middle East when middleweight champ Johnny Eblen runs it back with Fabian Edwards and the stakes will be high when the massively touted Paul Hughes gets a step up in competition against AJ McKee.
Ahead of the event, all 18 fighters successfully made weight. With that, every fight has remained intact, and all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the PFL: Battle of the Giants ceremonial weigh-ins!
The same stakes will also exist in the co-headliner as legend Cris Cyborg battles the PFL’s first two-weight title winner Larissa Pacheco for the featherweight belt, while Bellator gold will be on the line beforehand when Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards run it back.
PFL Battle Of The Giants: Ngannou vs. Ferreira Weigh-In Results
The PFL’s “Battle of the Giants” event takes place on Saturday, October 19, at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card begins at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.
With that said, check out the full weigh-in results below!
Main Card:
Heavyweight Superfight Championship: Francis Ngannou (256.8lbs) vs. Renan Ferreira (261.5lbs)
We’re deep into fight week for the PFL’s second pay-per-view of the year, meaning it was recently time for the fighters set to be in action on October 19 to take to the stage and answer some questions.
Having not competed in the cage since a victory over Ciryl Gane in January 2022 — completing a pair of boxing matches opposite Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the period since — “The Predator” will look to make an emphatic MMA comeback at the expense of last year’s PFL heavyweight title winner, Renan Ferreira.
Setting the stage for the headliners will be another Super Fights championship clash, with reigning Bellator featherweight queen Cris Cyborg debuting in the SmartCage opposite the PFL’s first two-weight champion, Larissa Pacheco.
Elsewhere, Bellator gold will be on the line in the Middle East when middleweight champ Johnny Eblen runs it back with Fabian Edwards and the stakes will be high when the massively touted Paul Hughes gets a step up in competition against AJ McKee.
As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Thursday for the pre-fight press conference.
Following his departure and subsequent signing with the PFL, Ngannou’s sights drifted to the boxing ring, where he battled Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in back-to-back blockbuster bouts.
Now, though, the Cameroonian is days away from entering the cage once again, and he still expects to do so as the world’s best heavyweight.
Aspinall has something to say about that, stating during an appearance on the debut episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned that the competition Ngannou will face outside the UFC could disqualify him from such a category.
While “Problema” is getting plenty of respect from “The Predator,” who has even branded himself the underdog, Aspinall insists that Ferreira is far from an “elite” heavyweight.
“I have a lot of respect for Francis. And I really appreciate his story. I really appreciate what he’s done in the sport,” Aspinall said. “But it’s hard to debate right now. The guy he’s fighting, he’s not elite. Do you know what I mean? And the guys he’ll be fighting in the future aren’t elite, and it’s as simple as that. These aren’t the best guys in the world.
“The guy he’s fighting fought a friend of mine, a training partner of mine, Ante Delija, last year. Ante just destroyed him within a minute or two; took him down, ground-and-pounded him, and stopped him within the first minute,” Aspinall continued. “The guy isn’t elite, his opponent. Yeah he’s big, yeah he’s powerful, yeah he can knock you out, but he’s not an elite heavyweight. I’m not disrespecting him, that’s just my honest opinion. The elite guys are not in the PFL. … It’s difficult to say he (Ngannou) is the best heavyweight in the world when he isn’t fighting elite guys.”
Regardless, Ngannou will have his sights on making a firm statement in his long-awaited return to MMA competition in order to prove that he’s not lost a step inside the cage since heading to the ring.
The wait is almost over ⏳
𝑨 𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑺𝑯 𝑩𝑬𝑻𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑵 𝑻𝑰𝑻𝑨𝑵𝑺 for the #PFLSuperFights Heavyweight World Championship 🏆
Francis Ngannou will take on Renan Ferreira for the PFL heavyweight championship on October 19, 2024. The Battle Of The Giants PPV will be the first time fans will witness “The Predator” in MMA since leaving the UFC.
Ngannou’s last MMA fight was against Ciryl Gane in 2022 when he defended his UFC heavyweight title. By grappling with the challenger for three rounds, he established himself as one of the most well-rounded heavyweight fighters in the world and went on to box Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Ngannou’s return to MMA is certainly a huge deal for fans worldwide, but according to his coach, the PFL hasn’t promoted it in the best way possible…
Eric Nicksick Coach Critcizes PFL’s Battle Of The Giants Theme For Renan Ferreira vs. Francis Ngannou
Nicksick discussed the upcoming PFL fight between Ngannou and Ferreira on the MMAFightingonSBN YouTube channel. Like many others, he was surprised by the PFL not emphasizing their main event is for the lineal heavyweight championship.
The PFL has instead marketed Ferreira and Ngannou as two giants boasting unreal knockout power. According to Nicksick, he has to remind himself that “The Predator” is fighting for a title because the promotion is very different from how the UFC promotes a title fight.
“I literally forgot we’re, let’s say forgot we’re fighting for a title. But it’s like, oh we get another title fight, you know. You think of a five- rounder or whatever else, it’s like that’s how much it hasn’t been promoted. Like, we know, it’s a title fight in the back of my mind, but I had to like, reassure we’re fighting for a title here. You know, it’s like I feel the same way- it’s like I want to hear that more rather than like these two giants fighting. This is for the PFL title, you know. This is huge man, so I don’t know man, I just wish it was promoted a little bit better too.”
Nicksick admitted to expecting better promotion by the PFL, considering Ngannou’s solid legacy as a UFC champion and his popular bouts against Joshua and Fury.
Francis Ngannou last fought in the UFC in January 2022 and left the promotion amidst contract disputes. He’s since had two boxing matches, against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Although he lost both bouts, the fight against Fury went the distance and many backed him to be the winner.
On October 19, 2024, Ngannou will finally make his PFL debut against Renan Ferreira. The PFL heavyweight champ knocked out Ryan Bader to claim the title and his first defense is against the lineal heavyweight champion of mixed martial arts.
Ferreira can end the fight anytime he lands like Ngannou. Despite his fighter coming off a KO loss in boxing, Eric Nicksick is confident in “The Predator” having superior boxing and grappling…
Francis Ngannou’s Coach Admits To Wresting-Heavy Game Plan Against Ferreira But Denies Knockout Threat
Nicksick recently discussed the future of many of his fighters during an interview on the MMAFightingonSBN YouTube channel. The coach was asked if fans should be worried about Ngannou’s chin deteriorating, as he’s now 38 and last suffered a crushing KO loss against Joshua.
With 4 oz gloves that are far lighter than standard boxing gloves, Ferreira certainly boasts dangerous knockout power. However, according to Nicksick, Ngannou has an equal chance to knock his opponent out and his boxing has improved drastically in the last couple of years. “The Predator” has largely worked on his movement and knows how to roll with the punches to absorb damage.
“It turns into a coin flip, right? Like these guys touch you with 4 oz gloves, somebody’s going to sleep. Now, what we do have in our favor is I think the fact that Francis has been working a lot of his boxing, a lot of his footwork, and understanding how to roll with those punches, how to tie his counters into his defense. Just the evolution of his striking to me has gotten much more crisper, much more pristine, over the last couple years and I know that we weren’t able to show that in the Anthony Joshua fight, but, leading up to that Anthony Joshua fight, I mean, he literally, I mean, the best I’ve ever seen him, you know.”
Nicksick claimed that Ngannou’s boxing was at its best ahead of the Joshua fight. He couldn’t showcase this to the world, though, because at heavyweight, every match is a coin flip thanks to the power each fighter possesses.
After praising Ngannou’s boxing prowess, Nicksick also admitted to having a grappling-heavy plan against Ferreira. He expects over 25% of the PFL main event this weekend to be on the ground, indicating Ngannou will be ready to grapple if things go south.
While Francis Ngannou respects the threat that upcoming PFL foe Renan Ferreira brings to the table, he doesn’t see where the Brazilian is superior.
Ngannou is set to make the walk for an MMA fight for the first time since a successful UFC title defense against Ciryl Gane in January 2022. Following that, “The Predator” was sidelined through injury before choosing to exit the promotion at the start of last year.
The Brazilian veteran is coming off title success in the PFL’s heavyweight season last year and a rapid knockout of Bellator kingpin Ryan Bader this past February.
Despite his opponent’s winning form, however, Ngannou sees no area of the game where he’ll be outmatched by Ferreira come fight night…
When discussing the threat posed by “Problema,” Ngannou acknowledged that his foe is solid in all areas. But in terms of where the Brazilian’s abilities could surpass his, “The Predator” sees nothing.
“I don’t know. He is very athletic. He’s very skilled, well-rounded,” Ngannou said. “But I think whatever it is, it’s a little less than me [laughs]. He is a little less version of me, I would say so.”
Ngannou will look to prove that assessment correct come fight night in Riyadh next weekend, when he dips his toes back into mixed martial arts waters for the first time in close to three years.
The wait is almost over ⏳
𝑨 𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑺𝑯 𝑩𝑬𝑻𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑵 𝑻𝑰𝑻𝑨𝑵𝑺 for the #PFLSuperFights Heavyweight World Championship 🏆
The build-up toward Francis Ngannou’s MMA return and Professional Fighters League (PFL) debut has picked up with the official trailer for the upcoming pay-per-view event.
For the first time since January 2022, Ngannou will make the walk for a mixed martial arts contest on October 19 in Saudi Arabia. There, the former UFC champion will collide with Renan Ferreira in the main event of the “Battle of the Giants” card.
Since defending the UFC gold against Ciryl Gane over two years ago, Ngannou’s combat sports outings have come inside the ring, where he threw down with two heavyweight greats in Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
While he took “The Gypsy King” to the limit, he was brutally knocked out by “AJ” earlier this year, and his sights are now back on the cage for the time being.
PFL Releases ‘Official Trailer’ For Ngannou vs. Ferreira
Ahead of Ngannou’s debut in the SmartCage, which comes 17 months on from his signing with the PFL, an “official trailer” has been released.
The cinematic video has a Godzilla vs. Kong look to it, with Ngannou and Ferreira taking out a city amid their “Battle of the Giants.”
The wait is almost over ⏳
𝑨 𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑺𝑯 𝑩𝑬𝑻𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑵 𝑻𝑰𝑻𝑨𝑵𝑺 for the #PFLSuperFights Heavyweight World Championship 🏆
Gold will also be on the line on the main card, as Bellator Middleweight Champion Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards run it back following the postponement of their scheduled rematch in London last month.
Ngannou is set to make his long awaited return to MMA when he debuts in the PFL on October 19 against PFL champion, Renan Ferreira.
The fight will see the winner claim the PFL Super Fights belt but with Ngannou never losing his UFC title, he has to be in the conversation for still being the best out there and therefore, Ferreira can also enter that discussion with a win.
Dan Hardy On Who The Best Heavyweight In The World Is
In a recent interview with Sportskeeda MMA, PFL commentator Dan Hardy gave his thoughts on the magnitude of the fight that is billed as “Battle of the Giants”.
For what it’s worth, he also weighed in on the current Jones, Miocic, and Aspinall debate, making it clear who his pick is for the best of the bunch.
“We’re potentially going to find out who the best heavyweight is on the planet. There’s a lot of conversation on the other side around Tom Aspinall, Jon Jones, Miocic, etc. Right now for me, Tom Aspinall is head & shoulders above Jon Jones and Stipe just based on his activity.”
With Aspinall being his pick for the best heavyweight in the UFC, Hardy said that a fight between the Brit and the winner of Ngannou vs. Ferreira may be the very pinnacle of the weight class.
“But, then you compare Tom Aspinall to Ngannou and Ferreira and that might be the fight to determine who the best heavyweight is on the planet, the winner of the Ngannou-Ferreira fight and then Tom Aspinall. It’s exciting. As an MMA fan, I love speculating about these things, it’s very rare that we get to match a current PFL champion against the heavyweight king of the world, Francis Ngannou.”
Earlier this year, in his second venture into pro boxing, he was stopped for the first time in his career by Anthony Joshua.
It was a devastating finish after being dropped several times in the early stages of the fight and we don’t know how Ngannou will bounce back from such a tough loss.
In Renan Ferreira, he meets a fellow super-athlete who has proven his ability to connect with massive power at an unmatched range.
We have seen Ngannou use his grappling to secure the win when he defeated fellow-striker Ciryl Gane but will this be the same version that we see in Riyadh later this year?
Dan Hardy Breaks Down What Version Of Francis Ngannou We Will See On His Return
If there’s one area that is a weakness on Ferreira’s side, it’s his wrestling ability which has been an issue for him during his PFL career.
PFL commentator and analyst Dan Hardy isn’t convinced that even with this in mind, we will see Ngannou lace up his wrestling shoes because it’s not his usual game.
“It certainly could, especially the psychology around it right. Especially that first round where I mean, it’s not like he’s stepping back in against another heavyweight, like this guy is a legit phenom. He’s a freak, he’s tall, he’s fast, he can do backflips off of one leg, it’s ridiculous. So then you’ve got to think, if I’m Francis Ngannou and I’m standing across from this guy, I’m thinking to myself, ‘Well, I might wrestle but then I’ve got five rounds. If I start to slow down over five rounds, this guy could beat me up with a jab from a distance.’
“So for me, the confident but reckless Ngannou is the real danger on the feet in this one and we might see him go back to his wrestling again but ultimately, I think that the work that Ferreira has done at ATT [American top Team] has really shored up his wrestling and his grappling so even that’s not a foregone conclusion. I think we’re going to get a striking extravaganza and really, honestly, it’s the first one to land clean.”
The build-up to Francis Ngannou’s long-awaited MMA comeback and PFL debut continued on Thursday, with the heavyweight powerhouse going face-to-face with opponent Renan Ferreira at the Battle of the Giants press conference.
Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, hasn’t laced the MMA gloves since his lone successful title defense against Ciryl Gane in January 2022. He later departed the organization following a lengthy contractual dispute and found a new home, putting pen to paper on an exclusive MMA deal with the Professional Fighters League in May 2023.
He’s yet to enter the SmartCage, however, instead using the freedom granted to him by the PFL to complete his long-discussed venture to the sport of boxing. After shocking the world with his performance against then-WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Ngannou stayed in that realm of combat for a highly anticipated matchup with former two-time unified champ Anthony Joshua.
“The Predator” will be back in the cage on October 19, making his promotional debut in the main event of a PFL Super Fight card opposite Renan Ferreira, the 2023 heavyweight champ inside the SmartCage.
The card’s co-headliner, meanwhile, sees another major name make their return as Bellator Women’s Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg gears up for her first MMA outing in over a year. She’ll meet the PFL’s very first two-weight title winner in Larissa Pacheco this fall.
Those four names were initially all set to appear at the Battle of the Giants press conference on August 22, held at The Anthem in Washington D.C. However, only Ngannou and Ferreira fielded questions from the media, with Pacheco also appearing briefly. It’s unknown why original plans to have Cyborg in attendance fell away.
Check out a full stream of the presser below via the PFL’s official YouTube channel, followed by all the highlights and faceoffs!
Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Stream
Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Highlights
Oddsmakers are seeing one of the two blockbuster matchups announced for the next PFL pay-per-view as a lot closer than the other…
This week, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) confirmed its expected second Super Fight PPV card of 2024, the first of which pitted its champions against Bellator titleholders in Saudi Arabia this past February.
In the main event, Ngannou returns to mixed martial arts following a two-match boxing stint. His first taste of action inside the cage since January 2022 comes against an expected opponent in Renan Ferreira, the 2023 PFL heavyweight title winner who stopped Ryan Bader in just 21 seconds earlier this year to secure a showdown with “The Predator.”
Setting the stage for those two heavyweight behemoths will be Cyborg, the reigning Bellator women’s featherweight champion and an all-time great. Her frustrated calls for an MMA return against two-weight PFL champ Larissa Pacheco have finally been answered.
Both bouts will be contested for Super Fight titles. And in terms of who will walk away from the October 19 event with an additional piece of gold for their trophy cabinet, oddsmakers believe one matchup is easier to call…
Ngannou Heavy Favorite For Successful Comeback, Pacheco Narrow Underdog Against Cyborg
Shortly after the top two clashes for the PFL’s next PPV card were announced in a press release on Wednesday, opening odds were released by BetOnline.ag.
Given his destructive run toward the UFC’s heavyweight gold prior to his departure from the MMA leader and subsequent boxing venture, it’s perhaps unsurprising to see Ngannou heavily favored.
“The Predator” has opened at -350, with Ferreira’s underdog line reading +285.
The co-headliner is seen as much closer, with Cyborg a narrow -140 favorite against Pacheco’s +125 line. The PFL standout became the promotion’s first-ever two-division title winner last year when she added featherweight gold to her 2022 lightweight success.
The PFL is yet to confirm any other bouts for the October 19 event, but French star Cédric Doumbé has previously been touted for the fall PPV. Also, Yoel Romero recently spilled the beans on a Bellator light heavyweight title fight against champ Corey Anderson on that date.
Mixed martial arts enthusiasts had plenty of thoughts after former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou’s MMA comeback was made official.
Fans of the Cameroonian powerhouse have had to wait over two years for an announcement regarding his next outing in the sport, having not competed since a successful UFC title defense against Ciryl Gane in January 2022.
The rest of that calendar year saw Ngannou recovering from a serious knee injury, and 2023 began with his exit from the MMA leader off the back of a lengthy contractual dispute.
He later found a new MMA home in the form of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), who granted “The Predator” his freedom to venture to boxing. A close fight with Tyson Fury and violent defeat to Anthony Joshua later, Ngannou is finally set to grace a cage once again.
Co-headlining the major lineup will be another ex-UFC champ in Cris Cyborg, as the Bellator featherweight queen meets two-time PFL titleholder Larissa Pacheco.
MMA Fans React To Ngannou vs. Ferreira PPV Main Event: ‘We Want Cédric Doumbé On This Card!’
Unsurprisingly, MMA fans were quick to flock to social media to react to confirmation of Ngannou’s long-awaited PFL debut.
While some predicted a brutally successful return to action for “The Predator,” others questioned if his chin will hold up against the heavy hands of Ferreira following a devastating setback at the hands of Joshua in the ring earlier this year.
It appears that all systems are finally go for Francis Ngannou’s debut under the Professional Fighters League (PFL) banner.
Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, hasn’t competed in mixed martial arts since his successful title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022. Since then, he’s departed the UFC off the back of a lengthy contractual dispute and found a new home.
“The Predator” put pen to paper on an exclusive MMA deal with the PFL last May, which also sees him as the chairman of PFL Africa, set to launch in 2025. He’s yet to enter the SmartCage, however, instead using the freedom granted to him to complete a long-desired venture to the boxing ring.
And after shocking the world with his performance against then-WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Ngannou remained in the boxing world for a blockbuster matchup with former two-time unified champ Anthony Joshua.
During a recent appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience, Ngannou revealed that his MMA return and PFL debut is in the works over a year on from his signing.
“The Predator” confirmed that the promotion’s second pay-per-view is targeted for October 19 in Saudi Arabia, and that the current plan is for him to share the cage with 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira.
“We have a good relationship. I have a fight. I will be fighting by the end of the year,” Ngannou said. “I think Renan Ferreira is the guy. I’ve been telling people about this guy for almost two years. Very athletic, fast hands, one-two…very athletic. I think it’s going to be him.
“That’s what the PFL is working on. … They’re working on October. It’s not finalized yet, but they (were) talking about October 19,” Ngannou added.
Ngannou’s remarks come as the second indication that the PFL will stage a major card in Riyadh on Oct. 19. Earlier this month, former UFC title challenger Yoel Romero claimed he’s set to challenge Corey Anderson for the Bellator light heavyweight title on that date.
In the main event, “Problema” knockout out Bellator Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader just 21 seconds into the very first round. He now looks in line to be rewarded for that performance with the kind of handsome payday set to come with fighting Ngannou in the PFL.
