Tag: PFL Super Fight

Battle Of The Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Highlights & Faceoff

The build-up to Francis Ngannou’s long-awaited MMA comeback and PFL debut continued on Thursday, with the heavyweight powerhouse going face-to-face with opponent Renan Ferreira at the Battle of the Giants press conference. Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, hasn’t laced the MMA gloves since his lone successful title defense against Ciryl Gane in January 2022. […]

Continue Reading Battle Of The Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Highlights & Faceoff at MMA News.

The build-up to Francis Ngannou’s long-awaited MMA comeback and PFL debut continued on Thursday, with the heavyweight powerhouse going face-to-face with opponent Renan Ferreira at the Battle of the Giants press conference.

Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, hasn’t laced the MMA gloves since his lone successful title defense against Ciryl Gane in January 2022. He later departed the organization following a lengthy contractual dispute and found a new home, putting pen to paper on an exclusive MMA deal with the Professional Fighters League in May 2023.

He’s yet to enter the SmartCage, however, instead using the freedom granted to him by the PFL to complete his long-discussed venture to the sport of boxing. After shocking the world with his performance against then-WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Ngannou stayed in that realm of combat for a highly anticipated matchup with former two-time unified champ Anthony Joshua.

A devastating knockout defeat to the Brit in Saudi Arabia this past March has put a stop to his charge in the ring for the time being, and Ngannou’s sights are instead now on the sport in which he made his name once again.

“The Predator” will be back in the cage on October 19, making his promotional debut in the main event of a PFL Super Fight card opposite Renan Ferreira, the 2023 heavyweight champ inside the SmartCage.

The card’s co-headliner, meanwhile, sees another major name make their return as Bellator Women’s Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg gears up for her first MMA outing in over a year. She’ll meet the PFL’s very first two-weight title winner in Larissa Pacheco this fall.

Those four names were initially all set to appear at the Battle of the Giants press conference on August 22, held at The Anthem in Washington D.C. However, only Ngannou and Ferreira fielded questions from the media, with Pacheco also appearing briefly. It’s unknown why original plans to have Cyborg in attendance fell away.

Check out a full stream of the presser below via the PFL’s official YouTube channel, followed by all the highlights and faceoffs!

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Stream

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Highlights

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Faceoff

Continue Reading Battle Of The Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Highlights & Faceoff at MMA News.

Report: AJ McKee vs. Paul Hughes Targeted For Undercard Of Francis Ngannou’s PFL Debut

A huge lightweight matchup is reportedly being set for the debut of the PFL PPV Super Fights series, which features the MMA return of Francis Ngannou. First reported by @MagicM_MMABets on X, former Bellator featherweight champion AJ McKee is expected to be returning to take on one of the biggest prospects in the sport, Paul […]

Continue Reading Report: AJ McKee vs. Paul Hughes Targeted For Undercard Of Francis Ngannou’s PFL Debut at MMA News.

A huge lightweight matchup is reportedly being set for the debut of the PFL PPV Super Fights series, which features the MMA return of Francis Ngannou.

First reported by @MagicM_MMABets on X, former Bellator featherweight champion AJ McKee is expected to be returning to take on one of the biggest prospects in the sport, Paul Hughes.

This was later confirmed by several other media sources, including MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck.

Hughes Set For Major Matchup In Second PFL Assignment

Ireland’s Hughes made his debut for the promotion earlier this year after signing to the PFL, stopping Bobby King in the second round at a Bellator Champions Series event following his run in Cage Warriors.

“Big News” made it clear after that fight that he had big-name opponents in mind, and that’s certainly what he’s got on his hands on October 19 should these reports come to fruition.

McKee, meanwhile, put in a standout performance at February’s PFL vs. Bellator event in Saudi Arabia when he submitted longtime PFL veteran Clay Collard in the first round.

Now he will look to welcome Hughes to the very top tier of competition in this promotion in a clash between Bellator’s biggest homegrown talent and one of the PFL’s most exciting additions.

Main-event billing for what is shaping up to be the biggest card of the year for the PFL goes to the long-awaited clash between Ngannou and Renan Ferreira, who knocked out Bellator champion Ryan Bader at the previously mentioned PFL vs. Bellator card.

In the co-main event, Cris Cyborg faces Larissa Pacheco in another highly anticipated and long-awaited meeting between the two dominant female forces on the combined PFL and Bellator rosters.

A location is yet to be confirmed for this event, though it has long been expected to be taking place in Saudi Arabia.

Continue Reading Report: AJ McKee vs. Paul Hughes Targeted For Undercard Of Francis Ngannou’s PFL Debut at MMA News.

‘Predator Is On The Hunt’ – MMA Fans React To Confirmation Of Francis Ngannou’s PFL Debut, Renan Ferreira Clash

Mixed martial arts enthusiasts had plenty of thoughts after former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou’s MMA comeback was made official. Fans of the Cameroonian powerhouse have had to wait over two years for an announcement regarding his next outing in the sport, having not competed since a successful UFC title defense against Ciryl Gane in […]

Continue Reading ‘Predator Is On The Hunt’ – MMA Fans React To Confirmation Of Francis Ngannou’s PFL Debut, Renan Ferreira Clash at MMA News.

Mixed martial arts enthusiasts had plenty of thoughts after former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou’s MMA comeback was made official.

Fans of the Cameroonian powerhouse have had to wait over two years for an announcement regarding his next outing in the sport, having not competed since a successful UFC title defense against Ciryl Gane in January 2022.

The rest of that calendar year saw Ngannou recovering from a serious knee injury, and 2023 began with his exit from the MMA leader off the back of a lengthy contractual dispute.

He later found a new MMA home in the form of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), who granted “The Predator” his freedom to venture to boxing. A close fight with Tyson Fury and violent defeat to Anthony Joshua later, Ngannou is finally set to grace a cage once again.

The PFL revealed its next pay-per-view event for October 19 in a press release on Wednesday, headlined by Ngannou’s return against 2023 heavyweight title winner Renan Ferreira for a PFL Super Fight belt.

Co-headlining the major lineup will be another ex-UFC champ in Cris Cyborg, as the Bellator featherweight queen meets two-time PFL titleholder Larissa Pacheco.

MMA Fans React To Ngannou vs. Ferreira PPV Main Event: ‘We Want Cédric Doumbé On This Card!’

Unsurprisingly, MMA fans were quick to flock to social media to react to confirmation of Ngannou’s long-awaited PFL debut.

While some predicted a brutally successful return to action for “The Predator,” others questioned if his chin will hold up against the heavy hands of Ferreira following a devastating setback at the hands of Joshua in the ring earlier this year.

Continue Reading ‘Predator Is On The Hunt’ – MMA Fans React To Confirmation Of Francis Ngannou’s PFL Debut, Renan Ferreira Clash at MMA News.