Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou will make his return to mixed martial arts when he debuts with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) on October 19. Ngannou will face 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira on a PFL pay-per-view super fight card. The PFL has not disclosed the location of the bout, although Saudi Arabia, which invested in the league last year, is a potential site.
“Renan is a great fighter; I’ve been studying him for years,” Ngannou said. “He’s unique, athletic, and fast. He demonstrated that in his last fight.”
Ngannou, 37, has not competed in MMA since January 2022, when he defended his UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. Following a contentious contract dispute, Ngannou left the UFC, which subsequently stripped him of the title in January 2023. The dispute centered on Ngannou’s demands for health insurance and personal sponsorships, which the UFC reportedly rejected.
In May 2023, Ngannou signed with the PFL, where he also took on a role as chairman and equity owner for PFL Africa. Unlike the PFL’s usual format, which includes a regular season, postseason, and championship event, Ngannou will compete exclusively on super fight cards.
Ngannou took a hiatus from MMA to focus on boxing, where he faced Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Ngannou went the distance with Fury in October 2023, nearly pulling off an upset, and was knocked out by Joshua in March. Both bouts were held in Saudi Arabia, which recently acquired a stake in the PFL.
Ferreira, who has fought eight times since Ngannou’s last MMA bout, earned a 21-second victory over longtime Bellator champion Ryan Bader in February. “This is the fight of my life,” Ferreira said. “I am preparing like never before to give Ngannou a whole lot of problems.”
The October PFL card will also feature a fight between Cris “Cyborg” Justino and Larissa Pacheco.
