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:
“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 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.