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 on the Battle of the Giants press convention.
Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, hasn’t laced the MMA gloves since his lone profitable title protection towards Ciryl Gane in January 2022. He later departed the group following a prolonged contractual dispute and located a brand new dwelling, placing pen to paper on an unique MMA cope with the Skilled Fighters League in Might 2023.
He’s but to enter the SmartCage, nevertheless, as a substitute utilizing the liberty granted to him by the PFL to finish his long-discussed enterprise to the game of boxing. After surprising the world together with his efficiency towards then-WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Ngannou stayed in that realm of fight for a extremely anticipated matchup with former two-time unified champ Anthony Joshua.
A devastating knockout defeat to the Brit in Saudi Arabia this previous March has put a cease to his cost within the ring in the interim, and Ngannou’s sights are as a substitute now on the game wherein he made his title as soon as once more.
“The Predator” will probably be again within the cage on October 19, making his promotional debut in the primary occasion of a PFL Tremendous Combat card reverse Renan Ferreira, the 2023 heavyweight champ contained in the SmartCage.
The cardboard’s co-headliner, in the meantime, sees one other main title make their return as Bellator Girls’s Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg gears up for her first MMA outing in over a yr. She’ll meet the PFL’s very first two-weight title winner in Larissa Pacheco this fall.
These 4 names have been initially all set to seem on the Battle of the Giants press convention on August 22, held at The Anthem in Washington D.C. Nonetheless, solely Ngannou and Ferreira fielded questions from the media, with Pacheco additionally showing briefly. It’s unknown why unique plans to have Cyborg in attendance fell away.
Try a full stream of the presser beneath by way of the PFL’s official YouTube channel, adopted by all of the highlights and faceoffs!
