PFL: Battle Of The Giants Results & Highlights: Francis Ngannou Batters Renan Ferreira

PFL Battle of the Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira took place on pay-per-view Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action! The Professional Fighters League hosted its second PPV of the year at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the main attraction saw former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou make his […]

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PFL Battle of the Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira took place on pay-per-view Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

The Professional Fighters League hosted its second PPV of the year at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the main attraction saw former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou make his long-awaited return to mixed martial arts.

Having not competed in the cage since a victory over Ciryl Gane in January 2022 — completing a pair of boxing matches opposite Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the period since — “The Predator” made an emphatic MMA comeback at the expense of last year’s PFL heavyweight title winner Renan Ferreira, whom he pummeled inside one round.

Setting the stage for the headliners was another Super Fights championship clash, with reigning Bellator featherweight queen Cris Cyborg debuting in the SmartCage opposite the PFL’s first two-weight champion, Larissa Pacheco. The 39-year-old legend continued to make history, capturing gold in a fifth major promotion by outpointing her fellow countrywoman.

Elsewhere, Bellator gold was on the line in the Middle East when middleweight champ Johnny Eblen ran it back with Fabian Edwards and the stakes were high when the massively touted Paul Hughes got a step up in competition against AJ McKee.

With the event concluded, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights!

PFL Battle Of The Giants: Ngannou vs. Ferreira Results & Highlights

Main Card:

  • Heavyweight Superfight Championship: Francis Ngannou def. Renan Ferreira via KO (ground punches): R1, 3:32
  • Women’s Featherweight Superfight Championship: Cris Cyborg def. Larissa Pacheco via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
  • Bellator Middleweight Championship: Johnny Eblen def. Fabian Edwards via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
  • Featherweight: Zafar Mohsen def. Husein Kadimagomaev via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Lightweight: Paul Hughes def. AJ McKee via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Preliminary Card:

  • Bantamweight: Raufeon Stots def. Marcos Breno via submission (rear-naked choke): R3: 3:01
  • Lightweight: Makkasharip Zaynukov def. Dedrek Sanders via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
  • Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov def. Nacho Campos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Featherweight: Taha Bendaoud def. Tariq Ismail via submission (triangle choke): R2, 3:51

Taha Bendaoud Def. Tariq Ismail

Ibragim Ibragimov Def. Nacho Campos

Makkasharip Zaynukov Def. Dedrek Sanders

Raufeon Stots Def. Marcos Breno

Paul Hughes Def. AJ McKee

Zafar Mohsen Def. Husein Kadimagomaev

Johnny Eblen Def. Fabian Edwards

Cris Cyborg Def. Larissa Pacheco

Francis Ngannou Def. Renan Ferreira

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PFL Battle Of The Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Weigh-In Results

The PFL‘s “Battle of the Giants” pay-per-view takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results! Headlining in the Middle East will be former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, who returns to the cage following a memorable two-fight stint in the boxing realm. For his first taste of MMA […]

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The PFL‘s “Battle of the Giants” pay-per-view takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

Headlining in the Middle East will be former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, who returns to the cage following a memorable two-fight stint in the boxing realm. For his first taste of MMA action since departing the UFC at the start of 2023, “The Predator” will battle Renan Ferreira for the PFL’s superfight heavyweight title.

The same stakes will also exist in the co-headliner as legend Cris Cyborg battles the PFL’s first two-weight title winner Larissa Pacheco for the featherweight belt, while Bellator gold will be on the line beforehand when Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards run it back.

Elsewhere, AJ McKee looks to stall the charge of Paul Hughes and the likes of Raufeon Stots and Ibragim Ibragimov hope to make the most of their positions on the major PPV card.

PFL Battle Of The Giants: Ngannou vs. Ferreira Weigh-In Results

The PFL’s “Battle of the Giants” event takes place on Saturday, October 19, at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card begins at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.

With that said, check out the full weigh-in results below!

Main Card:

  • Heavyweight Superfight Championship: Francis Ngannou (256.8lbs) vs. Renan Ferreira (261.5lbs)
  • Women’s Featherweight Superfight Championship: Cris Cyborg (144.5lbs) vs. Larissa Pacheco (144.1lbs)
  • Bellator Middleweight Championship: Johnny Eblen (184.7lbs) vs. Fabian Edwards (184.9lbs)
  • Featherweight: Husein Kadimagomaev (146lbs) vs. Zafar Mohsen (145.8lbs)
  • Lightweight: AJ McKee (155.8lbs) vs. Paul Hughes (155.8lbs)

Preliminary Card:

  • Bantamweight: Raufeon Stots (135.8lbs) vs. Marcos Breno (136lbs)
  • Lightweight: Makkasharip Zaynukov (153.6lbs) vs. Dedrek Sanders (154.9lbs)
  • Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov (145.5lbs) vs. Nacho Campos (145.9lbs)
  • Featherweight: Tariq Ismail (145.1lbs) vs. Taha Bendaoud (145.5lbs)

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Sean Strickland To Train With Bellator Champion For Dricus Du Plessis Rematch

It is all but official that Sean Strickland will be fighting Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC middleweight championship next. When they last fought in January 2024, DDP won a razor-close split decision to become the new champion. Strickland returned in June 2024 to win yet another split decision, this time against Paulo Costa which […]

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It is all but official that Sean Strickland will be fighting Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC middleweight championship next. When they last fought in January 2024, DDP won a razor-close split decision to become the new champion.

Strickland returned in June 2024 to win yet another split decision, this time against Paulo Costa which he believed to be enough for another title shot. Du Plessis, on the other hand, defended the title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, becoming the first fighter to submit “The Last Stylebender.”

To ensure Strickland doesn’t lose the rematch, Eric Nicksick will rely on a Bellator champion who brings out the best in his fighter…

Sean Strickland’s Coach Trusts Johhny Eblen With Emulating Dricus Du Plessis’ Style In Training

Nicksick recently appeared on the MMAFightingonSBN YouTube channel to discuss his fighters like Francis Ngannou, Strickland, and Daniel Zellhuber. When asked about the former UFC middleweight champion, he admitted that a better game plan could’ve helped him beat “Stillknocks”.

The coach then brought up Johnny Eblen, the reigning Bellator middleweight champion. The undefeated American fighter has defended the belt three times and will rematch Fabian Edwards in the upcoming Saudi Arabia card. After healing up from the fight, Nicksick expects Eblen to join Strickland in training for DDP.

“I’m bringing in Johnny Eblen, for sure. Like, I brought Johhny in, we brought Johnny in for, well, we bring him in all the time but Johnny will fight on the Saudi card so once he gets healed up and ready to come, we’ll have him out here. Johnny brings the best out of Sean, and in styles, I think Johnny can emulate so many different styles for us. He’s another guy I consider a teammate although he’s a, you know, ATT champion. We cross train quite a bit so I’m gonna lean heavy on Johnny Eblen this camp.”

The coach credited Du Plessis for having an unorthodox yet effective fighting style. Although it is hard to copy such a fighter, he believes Eblen to be the best at it. Despite being an American Top Team fighter, he regularly cross-trains at Xtreme Couture.

On top of having the best training partners possible, Nicksick wants to rectify a bunch of errors this time around. He highlighted Strickland’s high dependency on his jab and believes adding more tools to his fighter’s arsenal could be worthwhile.

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Jorge Masvidal Touts Bellator Star As A ‘Future UFC Champion’: ‘He’s On Another Level Right Now’

Jorge Masvidal recently lauded a Bellator champion, declaring that he envisions this fighter as a future titleholder in the UFC. The individual in question is none other than Masvidal’s teammate at American Top Team (ATT), reigning Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen. Eblen launched his professional MMA career under the Shamrock FC banner in July 2017, […]

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Jorge Masvidal recently lauded a Bellator champion, declaring that he envisions this fighter as a future titleholder in the UFC.

The individual in question is none other than Masvidal’s teammate at American Top Team (ATT), reigning Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen.

Eblen launched his professional MMA career under the Shamrock FC banner in July 2017, quickly rising through the ranks. After just four fights, he caught the attention of Bellator MMA, making his promotional debut in March 2019, securing a commanding decision victory over Chauncey Foxworth.

Eblen extended his undefeated streak by dethroning Gegard Mousasi at Bellator 282 in July 2022, capturing the middleweight title in the process. The 32-year-old native is coming off a split decision victory over 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay at the highly anticipated PFL vs. Bellator event this past February.

“Gamebred” sees immense potential in Eblen and confidently predicts that he is destined for an even greater future in the sport…

Masvidal Claims Eblen Shines Brighter Than Other Training Partners At ATT

During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Masvidal was asked about the fighter who has challenged him the most during training sessions at ATT, as he charts his own MMA comeback. The former BMF titleholder acknowledged that while all his training partners are high-level competitors, Eblen stands out as someone who appears to be in a league of his own.

“Gamebred” expressed his belief that Eblen could eventually make his way to the UFC and has the potential to become a champion in the world’s premier MMA promotion.

“Everybody I shake hands with and train with, they’re all pushing me; they’re all freaking pushing me, man. But I got in some good quality rounds with Johnny,” Masvidal said. “Johnny’s getting ready to scrap, and f**k, he’s like on another level right now; he’s hitting the gas pedal very hard. He’s a real nightmare right now at the gym for everybody he’s going with. I’m never gonna name anyone, but there are a lot of guys Johnny’s going in there with, man, and he’s putting in good work. I think this guy’s going to be a future UFC champion.”

Eblen is preparing to defend his title in a rematch against former rival Fabian Edwards on the main card of PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants, scheduled for October 19 at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Eblen boasts an impressive undefeated record of 15-0, with six of those victories achieved through submissions.

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Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards 2 Rescheduled For PFL’s Battle Of The Giants

A huge rematch in Bellator’s middleweight division has been announced as the latest addition to the PFL’s Battle Of The Giants event on October 19. 185-pound champion Johnny Eblen was set to defend his title for a third time in a rematch with Fabian Edwards in London this past weekend. Unfortunately, the bout fell off […]

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A huge rematch in Bellator’s middleweight division has been announced as the latest addition to the PFL’s Battle Of The Giants event on October 19.

185-pound champion Johnny Eblen was set to defend his title for a third time in a rematch with Fabian Edwards in London this past weekend.

Unfortunately, the bout fell off the card with no reason being given, meaning that the latest instalment of the Bellator Champions Series went down without a title fight headliner.

The two men previously met back at Bellator 299 in September last year where Eblen retained the gold via a third round stoppage in Dublin, Ireland.

A win over Aaron Jeffery put Edwards back in the title picture for another chance to bring the Bellator belt back to Birmingham, England.

Eblen, on the other hand, remained undefeated in a tough fight with Impa Kasanganay earlier this year at the PFL vs. Bellator event in February.

As per the official press release, the fight will now take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on the same night as Francis Ngannou’s long awaited return to MMA.

He takes on PFL’s 2023 heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira with Cris Cyborg and Larissa Pacheco serving as the co-main event for the debut of the PFL’s PPV Super Fights division.

Also announced for the card is Bellator star A.J. McKee, who takes on one of the PFL’s most exciting additions in recent times, Irish prospect Paul Hughes who will be facing his toughest test to date.

Read also: Brendan Schaub On UFC Show At ‘Rainforest Cafe’ Sphere: ‘Looks Great But The Product Is Sh*t’

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Johnny Eblen secures split decision over Impa Kasanganay to remain undefeated – PFL vs. Bellator Highlights

Johnny EblenBellator MMA middleweight champion Johnny Eblen kept his undefeated record intact with a closely contested split decision over Impa…

Johnny Eblen

Bellator MMA middleweight champion Johnny Eblen kept his undefeated record intact with a closely contested split decision over Impa Kasanganay at PFL vs. Bellator.

Both fighters came out ready to let their fists fly, but it was Eblen’s wrestling that ultimately made the difference throughout the 15-minute affair. Eblen nearly saw his ‘O’ go after absorbing a flurry of strikes in the opening moments of round two that sent him crashing to the canvas. But again, wrestling bailed Eblen out and allowed him to fully recover en route to a dominant performance in round three.

Official Result: Johnny Eblen def. Impa Kasanganay via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Eblen moved to 15-0 in his mixed martial arts career while the 2023 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament winner fell to 15-4. The loss snapped a six-fight win streak for Kasanganay.

Check Out Highlights From Johnny Eblen vs. Impa Kasanganay at PFL vs. Bellator: