Francis Ngannou is back.
Professional Fighters League (PFL) announced today (Weds., Aug. 7, 2024) the two biggest match ups in promotional history. At Heavyweight, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion, Ngannou, will return to mixed martial arts (MMA) for the first time since his lone title defense against Ciryl Gane in January 2022 (watch highlights). “The Predator” will be welcomed to the smart cage by PFL champion, Renan Ferreira. In the co-main event, Bellator and PFL champions collide when Cris “Cyborg” Justino also debuts in the promotion as she battles her fellow Brazilian, Larissa Pacheco. The “PFL Super Fights PPV” event will take place in a location yet to be announced on Oct. 19, 2024.
Opening odds have been released per BetOnline.ag and have both veterans favored with Ngannou at -305 to Ferreira’s +255 underdog. Meanwhile, the Featherweight title clash has much closer odds with Cyborg at -150 to Pacheco’s +130.
Since Ngannou’s last MMA fight, he had his first two professional boxing matches opposite pound-for-pound greats, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Unfortunately for the Cameroonian, he lost both with the latter worse than the first, a second round knockout (watch highlights) after a controversial split decision (watch highlights). Ngannou, 37, still plans to have another boxing match before he calls it a wrap on his overall combat sports career. However, MMA was always expected to see him back.
As for the other newcomer, Cyborg, she’s also been boxing, winning her two matches via knockout in rounds one and two this year. Cyborg, 39, last fought in MMA when she earned a first round technical knockout against Cat Zingano at Bellator 300 in October 2023 (watch highlights). Pacheco, 29, has fought once since then, defeating Marina Mokhnatkina via unanimous decision in the Featherweight finals at the PFL 2023 Championship.