“You can’t count Francis out. He’s a top-level heavyweight with incredible knockout power in his hands.”
Brazilian bruiser Renan Ferreira has an opportunity to become the next million-dollar heavyweight when he battles Russian gladiator Denis Goltsov in the upcoming PFL MMA Championships, scheduled for Fri., Nov. 24, 2023 at The Anthem in Washington D.C., streaming LIVE on ESPN+ pay-per-view (PPV).
But there’s much more at stake when looking at the bigger picture.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is expected to make his SmartCage debut at some point in early 2024, once “The Predator” gets done with his blockbuster boxing bout against WBC heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury at Boulevard Hall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, also on the ESPN+ PPV network.
And who better to welcome “The Predator” than the top heavyweight in PFL MMA.
“I feel like this is almost a make it or break it moment,” Ferreira and his interpreter told reporters during a recent PFL MMA media day. “It’s tough to even say this because there’s so much on the line between the belt and the million dollars, but there really is more on the line when you talk about future opportunities and the opportunity to fight a guy like Francis after this.”
Ferreira (11-3, 3 NC), four years younger than Ngannou at 33, punched his ticket to the PFL MMA Championships by registering back-to-back knockout victories over Matheus Scheffel and Maurice Greene, both in the opening frame. Finishing Goltsov (32-7) in similar fashion would no doubt push “Problema” to the top of the list for “The Predator’s” debut.
Just don’t expect it to go the distance.
“It’s definitely a fan favorite [fight],” Ferreira continued. “It’s two tough guys that swing big, that have a lot of knockout power, two exciting heavyweights. I feel like this is the kind of stuff that fans of the sport want to tune in and watch.”
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