Former UFC heavyweight champion of the world Francis Ngannou is set to make his long-awaited return to MMA action, as he gets set to step into the PFL SmartCage for the first time.
Former undisputed heavyweight champ Ngannou takes on six-foot-eight 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan “Problema” Ferreria in the main event of PFL’s “Battle of the Giants: Brace for Impact” event on Saturday, October 19 at a venue and location to be announced in due course.
“The Professional Fighters League is excited to announce the highly anticipated return of superstar, undisputed heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, to MMA in ‘Battle of the Giant’s against the most-feared heavyweight, six-foot-eight 2023 PFL Heavyweight Champion Renan Ferreira in the biggest world title fight of the year,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray.
“On October 19, live on ESPN+ in the U.S. and DAZN worldwide, MMA fans around the world will witness a true battle of the greatest fighters on the planet competing for the PFL Super Fights Championship Belts.”
“Renan is a great fighter – I have been watching him for years,” said Ngannou.
“I have been studying him for years. In fact, I’ve been telling people to watch this guy. He’s quite unique, he’s athletic, fast, his size doesn’t impress me as much as his skill.”
Ngannou’s return to the cage will see him compete in MMA for the first time since his UFC 270 win over Ciryl Gane back in January 2022. Since then he has transitioned to the world of heavyweight boxing, and dropped then-lineal heavyweight champion of the world Tyson Fury en route to a split-decision loss on his pro boxing debut in October 2023. His second foray into the ring didn’t go as well, as he fell to a second-round knockout at the hands of Anthony Joshua in March.
Now he’s ready to pull on the four-ounce gloves once again, and he faces a huge test in the form of Ferreira, who blasted his way to the 2023 PFL heavyweight title with a hat-trick of finishes, then stopped long-reigning Bellator champion Ryan Bader in just 21 seconds in the PFL vs. Bellator event back in February in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The co-main event will see a second PFL Super Fights title on the line, as the eagerly-awaited matchup between Brazilian champions will finally take place.
Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg will finally make her PFL debut when she steps into the SmartCage to take on two-division PFL champion Larissa Pacheco in what promises to be an explosive contest at 145 pounds.
Cyborg has been calling for a fight in the PFL ever since the organisation acquired Bellator, and will finally get her wish against Pacheco, who heads into the matchup on a 10-fight win streak. Cyborg is on a seven-fight streak herself, and with both women preferring to stand and bang, this should deliver a spectacular co-main event clash before the two heavyweights hit the cage in the headline bout.
