Tag: PFL News

GOAT Recognizes GOAT: Jon Jones Praises Cris Cyborg’s PFL Title Win in Saudi Arabia

GOAT Recognizes GOAT: Jon Jones Praises Cris Cyborg's PFL Title Win in Saudi ArabiaJon Jones was very impressed with Cris Cyborg’s latest world title-winning performance over the weekend. Making her Smart Cage…

GOAT Recognizes GOAT: Jon Jones Praises Cris Cyborg's PFL Title Win in Saudi Arabia

Jon Jones was very impressed with Cris Cyborg’s latest world title-winning performance over the weekend.

Making her Smart Cage debut at the PFL’s ‘Battle of The Giants’ pay-per-view event in Saudi Arabia, Cyborg entered her bout as the reigning Bellator featherweight champion. Following an entertaining 25-minute war with two-time PFL tournament winner Larissa Pacheco, Cyborg left as the first-ever PFL Super Fights champion, adding yet another piece of gold to her already impressive collection.

Her unanimous decision win over Pacheco garnered the attention of fighters and fans alike, including undisputed UFC heavyweight titleholder Jon Jones who shared his appreciation for Cyborg’s performance on Saturday night.

image 27

“I’m incredibly proud of Cris Cyborg right now. OG showing how it’s done,” Jones wrote on X.

Cyborg Responds to Jon Jones

Cyborg responded shortly after, calling ‘Bones’ the GOAT and thanking him for his kind words.

image 28

“Thank you Jon, you are the [goat emoji] and I appreciate this,” Cyborg replied.

With the win, Cyborg has not won 17 title fights over the last 15 years. Along the way, she’s captured gold in practically every major mixed martial arts organization, including Strikeforce, Invicta FC, UFC, Bellator, and PFL.

GaUG SXUAAZiXh

At 39 years old, it’s clear that Cyborg hasn’t lost a step inside the cage, but even she knows that eventually, she’ll have to lay down her gloves for good and call it a career. Sadly, it sounds like that may be sooner rather than later.

“It took a long time to fight,” Cyborg told reporters at the post-fight news conference. “My last time, I fought one year ago. I wanted to fight more times, for me to defend my title, because I want to complete 20 years in my career. This year is 19 and I want to go to my next chapter of my life and have a kid. Next plan, I’d like to defend my title as soon as possible.”

Jon Jones Reacts to Francis Ngannou’s Triumphant PFL Debut: “Congratulations Champ”

Jon Jones, Francis NgannouUFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones put his previous bad blood with Francis Ngannou aside to congratulate him on his…

Jon Jones, Francis Ngannou

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones put his previous bad blood with Francis Ngannou aside to congratulate him on his first-round finish against PFL giant Renan Ferreira.

Ngannou returned to MMA after nearly three years away from the cage on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Headlining an event with the reigning PFL titleholder Ferreira, Ngannou wasted zero time taking down the behemoth Ferreira, ultimately finishing the Brazilian with ground and pound in the first round.

If you missed Ngannou’s finish at Battle of the Giants, watch the highlight below.

The former UFC heavyweight champ Ngannou signed with PFL last year after a long, rocky contract dispute with the UFC brass. The UFC stripped Ngannou of the heavyweight title upon his departure, and he then turned his full attention towards boxing fights with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

Jones and Ngannou’s careers have been linked for years, stemming from the potential UFC superfight that never came to fruition. Despite past tensions, Jones credited Ngannou with his performance in the PFL SmartCage.

Jon Jones Applauds Francis Ngannou on Dominant PFL Debut

In a recent tweet, Jones congratulated Ngannou on his performance.

Jones won Ngannou’s stripped UFC title by submitting Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. He’s scheduled to defend his UFC heavyweight championship against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in New York City next month.

Ngannou captured the UFC heavyweight belt by knocking out Miocic at UFC 260, before defending it against Gane at UFC 270. During his UFC tenure, he earned some of the most brutal knockouts in the promotion’s history.

Despite their UFC clash never coming to fruition, Jones and Ngannou teased fans with a cage-side faceoff at a PFL event last year. While their unanimously desired super fight is likely off the table, their heavyweight reigns will be discussed in the same breath.

Paul Hughes wants Conor McGregor in his corner when he faces Usman Nurmagomedov “We’ll need more security” student of Khabib

Paul Hughes PFL Usman NurmagomedovIreland’s Paul Hughes got a huge win in the PFL debut as he took on the prodigy AJ McKee….

Paul Hughes PFL Usman Nurmagomedov

Ireland’s Paul Hughes got a huge win in the PFL debut as he took on the prodigy AJ McKee. Hughes was able to out-point his opponent with sharp counters and flying knees. After the victory, he wants the Bellator champion, and student of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman Nurmagomedov, but with Conor McGregor in his corner.

Paul Hughes wants Usman Nurmagomedov

The former Cage Warriors champion signed with the PFL looking to become a world champion in the organization. In his debut, he was able to defeat the top-ranked, and ultra-talented, AJ McKee via split decision. The Irish-born Paul Hughes was able to out-point his opponent in an impressive victory and showed off his striking acumen.

After the fight, he called out the Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov who is a long-time student, and cousin, of MMA legend, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Hughes is very likely to face Usman next with the title on the line and in that bout, Khabib will be in his corner. For that, Hughes has requested that Conor McGregor be in his corner for the match.

Paul Hughes PFL
2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, October 19, 2024. (Jose Peñuela / 2024PFLPPV) Paul Hughes vs AJ McKee

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor had one of the most bitter rivalries in MMA history. Their blockbuster match for the UFC world title was a major event and one of the biggest fights in the history of the sport. Khabib won but then a brawl broke out after the match.

Paul Hughes wins in the PFL

Speaking to the media after his PFL win, Paul Hughes explained:

“Yeah, that’s obvious. [Usman Nurmagomedov] is what I want. I said I was here for the biggest fights, the highest-pressure moments, and to make the most money possible. Usman is next, no question. There’s a lot of hype around this fight, and I’m here for it.“

On potentially having Conor McGregor in his corner, he added:

“How crazy would that be? We might need some extra security that night, though. We’ll need more security! But I’m down for it. It’ll be fun.”

Discussing his victory over AJ McKee, Hughes said:

“When you’re in there, it’s sometimes hard to tell, but judging from the energy of the crowd and AJ’s face, it’s pretty clear I won. I smashed him, walked him down, and put punches on him. I hurt him so many times. I was close to knocking him out a few times, but I didn’t get him out of there. I’ll 100% get him next time.”

PFL Paul Hughes vs AJ McKee
Paul Hughes

Francis Ngannou “I’m confident in my wrestling” breaks down Renan Ferreira victory in the PFL

Francis Ngannou PFL RenanThe lineal MMA UFC world champion Francis Ngannou took on the PFL champion Renan Ferreira in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia….

Francis Ngannou PFL Renan

The lineal MMA UFC world champion Francis Ngannou took on the PFL champion Renan Ferreira in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A battle of two towering knockout strikers. The Cameroonian Ngannou took down Brazil’s Ferreira and knocked him out using ground and pound. With this, he captures the PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Championship.

Francis Ngannou talks Renan Ferreira

While speaking to the media after his main event victory in his PFL debut, the heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou explained his game plan against Renan Ferreira. He said:

Francis Ngannou PFL
Francis Ngannou

“Once I took him down, I started to see all of his movements. His positioning, his stance—I was able to break it down. From that point, it became more about holding on to the plan, but being flexible. The game plan isn’t like a strict road you have to follow. You can take a detour, find a shortcut if necessary. If something better presents itself, you take it.”

He added:

“I’m confident in my wrestling. My journey and experience have made me comfortable with it. I could’ve stayed standing, tried to figure out the striking game, but at the end of the day, it’s about winning. Even though he has good jiu-jitsu, I knew my wrestling was strong enough to control him and his ground positions.

Francis Ngannou PFL
Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou has been able to capture the UFC heavyweight world title and walked away from the organization vacating his crown but keeping the lineal championship. He took on champion boxers Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in two major boxing matches. Now, the Cameroonian athlete has returned to MMA and picked up heavyweight gold in the PFL defeating a top-ranked dangerous opponent.

Francis Ngannou
2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, October 19, 2024. (Jose Peñuela / 2024PFLPPV)

Francis Ngannou: “I don’t think even a lifetime would be enough to fully recover … You realize that toughness can only get you so far” talks son Kobe

Francis Ngannou PFLEarlier this year, Francis Ngannou’s one-year-old son Kobe tragically passed away. This was shortly after his knockout loss to…

Francis Ngannou PFL

Earlier this year, Francis Ngannou’s one-year-old son Kobe tragically passed away. This was shortly after his knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in boxing. Stepping back into the MMA world and defeating Renan Ferreira for the PFL world title this past weekend helped the Cameroonian athlete. After his win, Ngannou spoke to the media about mental resistance.

Francis Ngannou Talks Toughness and Kobe

The Cameroonian-born athlete has always been strong, mentally and physically. He traversed Africa and was later arrested and homeless. Despite this, he still was able to become a UFC world champion and compete at the highest levels of professional boxing.

But nothing could have prepared him for the passing of his child. Toughness was no longer enough. Speaking to the media after his PFL championship victory, Francis Ngannou explained:

“I’ve been told I’m tough so many times that I started to believe it. But, you know, recently I realized maybe I’m not as tough as I thought. Life can put you in situations where you’re tested, and you realize that toughness can only get you so far. It’s something I never really imagined. I’ve seen people go through it, and I’ve felt compassion for them, but I never fully understood how hard it could be until I went through it myself. It’s tough.”

He continued:

“It’s one of those things where you wonder, “Is this ever going to be over?” And at some point, you start to think maybe it won’t. You just have to learn to roll with it, to live with it. In some situations, I’ve wanted to take time to breathe, but how long can you take? I don’t think even a lifetime would be enough to fully recover. So you just keep going. You accept this new way of living, and you move forward.”

After his first-round knockout victory in the PFL, Francis Ngannou was overcome with emotion with the memory of his son.

Francis Ngannou Dominates Renan Ferreira with a knockout victory

Francis Ngannou PFLLive from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the former UFC heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou made his PFL debut against Renan…

Francis Ngannou PFL

Live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the former UFC heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou made his PFL debut against Renan Ferreira headlining the PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants. The PFL Heavyweight Super Fights championship was on the line in this heavyweight showcase.

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira

The towering Brazilian Renan Ferreira entered the bout with an impressive eighty-five percent knockout win rate, with his most recent victory coming just 21-seconds in the first round.

The Cameroonian-born athlete Francis Ngannou was well feared for his punching power in MMA. After vacating the UFC title he took on two blockbuster boxing fight just returned to MMA at this PFL fight card.

A pair of heavy leg kicks from Ngannou open the match but the Brazilian is controlling the center. Ngannou dives low and secures a single leg takedown. Pinned against the cage, Ferreira is looking to defend and threaten with an triangle submission attempt, but the lineal MMA champion escapes and begins to work from half guard in top position. Next, he advances and lands heavy ground and pound against Ferreira. Ferreira goes flat and the referee waves off the match.

The Cameroonian athlete is overcome with emotion, crying against the cage, as he had dedicated this match to his late son.

Ngannou gets it done in the first round with capturing the PFL Heavyweight Super Fights Championship with a stoppage in the first round at 3:32.

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Highlights