- Francis Ngannou achieved an emphatic victory over Renan Ferreira in Riyadh
- Ngannou returned to MMA on Saturday evening after a two-year absence
- The Cameroonian had a brief introduction to boxing before returning to the cage
Francis Ngannou scored a stunning first-round knockout victory on his return to MMA as he took on Renan Ferreira in PFL’s Battle of the Giants main event.
After months of build-up and anticipation for Ngannou’s MMA return, the two heavyweights finally met on Saturday evening at the SmartCage in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
And it didn’t take long for Ngannou to remind fight fans of his impressive MMA skills as he dispatched his Brazilian counterpart in the first round.
After about a cautious opening minute, the Cameroonian successfully shot for a takedown and grappled with Ferreira before gaining control on the ground.
It didn’t take long before the heavyweight star started landing huge shots on Ferreira and within three minutes and thirty-two seconds the fight was stopped.
Francis Ngannou (left) scored a stunning knockout victory on his return to MMA when he took on Renan Ferreira (right) at PFL’s Battle of the Giants
The Cameroonian finished the job within one round after a brutal ground and pound on Ferreira
After landing a takedown, Ngannou delivered brutal blows before the fight was waved off
Ngannou returned to MMA after boxing fights against Anthony Joshua (pictured, left) and Tyson Fury this past year
It was an emotional event for the former UFC heavyweight champion, who dedicated the fight – both in the lead-up and afterwards – to his late son Kobe.
The stars were in attendance in Saudi Arabia to watch the Cameroonian claim the heavyweight crown – with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane in attendance on the night.
Portuguese superstar Ronaldo has developed a close bond with Ngannou, having met several times during the heavyweight fighter’s fights.
Ngannou made his long-awaited return to the cage after more than two years away from the sport when he took on PFL’s heavyweight champion Ferreira in Saudi Arabia in 2023.
Since his last MMA fight, the 38-year-old embarked on a journey that saw him take a brief foray into boxing and sign with rival promotion the UFC; the PFL.
Over the past year, the Cameroonian took on British stars Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the squared circle, narrowly losing to the ‘Gypsy King’ before suffering a brutal KO from AJ.
However, that wasn’t enough to stop him from returning to the cage and making his debut for the PFL, with whom he signed in May 2023.
His arrival at the PFL came after an unceremonious exit from the UFC, where the then-heavyweight champion failed to agree to a new deal with the promotion.
It proved to be a wise move for Ngannou, who has since reportedly earned around £23 million ($30 million) before stepping back into the MMA cage.
Ferreira, on the other hand, found his way to the PFL Super Fight stage after dominating the heavyweight division and being crowned the 2023 champion.
The 6-foot-2 Brazilian has won his last four fights by knockout since the start of 2023, with his two most recent fights lasting just 47 seconds in total.
Earlier in the evening, Dagestan fighter Ibragim Ibragimov extended his undefeated record with a dominant performance over Nacho Campos on the undercard.
Ibragimov – who comes from a family of athletes with three brothers playing for Manchester United – showed off his impressive struggles to secure a unanimous decision victory over his Spanish counterpart.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the main card, Paul Hughes announced himself on the big stage after a victory over AJ McKee. ‘Big News’ put on an emphatic display to triumph over one of PFL’s most formidable opponents.
In the evening’s co-main event, Cris Cyborg put on a dominant performance over Larissa Pacheco to capture the women’s featherweight world title.
In addition, the
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