The
Professional Fighters League took the gamble of a lifetime singing former
Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight king
Francis Ngannou last year. After more than two years away from the cage and a foray into boxing, fans were skeptical if they would ever see “The Predator” back in the world of MMA, but the wait is finally over. The most anticipated moment in PFL history is almost upon us.
Ngannou makes his long-awaited return to cage fighting this Saturday against 2023 PFL heavyweight tournament champion
Renan Ferreira in a bout billed as “The Battle of the Giants.” Live from The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, PFL has pulled no punches in what’s shaking up to be one of the most loaded cards of the year. In the co-main event, Bellator women’s featherweight champion and knockout artist
Cris Cyborg locks horns with two-time PFL tournament winner
Larissa Pacheco, but that won’t be the only fight with hardware on the line, as the reigning
Bellator MMA middleweight champion
Johnny Eblen rematches one of his most formidable foes, No. 1 contender
Fabian Edwards, in a title fight sure to produce fireworks.
The prelims kick off at 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, with the pay-per-view main card starting at 4 p.m. ET. You won’t want to miss it. Opening the main card is one of the best lightweight matchups of the year as former
Cage Warriors champion and Irish superstar
Paul Hughes faces the toughest test of his career in former Bellator featherweight king
A.J. McKee.
Never have we seen a card so stacked in the six years of PFL, and this could be the event that proves the promotion is ready for even greater heights. Here’s your preview for
PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants "Prepare for Impact".
Heavyweights
Francis Ngannou (17-3) vs
Renan Ferreira (13-3)
Although Ngannou has been away from the cage for more than two years, the former baddest man on the planet has been anything but lazy. Ngannou’s desire to box professionally was finally realized in 2023 when he fought reigning WBC Heavyweight champion
Tyson Fury. Despite his inexperience, Ngannou dropped and rocked the formally undefeated champion before dropping a heavily disputed decision on the scorecards. Ngannou’s performance was legendary, and the respect he earned that night will be discussed for years. Considering the lucrative payday he took home and the competitive edge he showed, few thought he would ever return to the world of MMA, and none were shocked when he signed on for another multi-million dollar fight with former champion
Anthony Joshua.
While many claimed that Fury underestimated Ngannou, Joshua did not, and the skill gap many expected to see in Ngannou’s first expedition into boxing came to light the second time around. Joshua outclassed and quickly punished Ngannou, handing him the first knockout loss of his career in two rounds. Although the experience was humbling, Ngannou is still an elite fighter with devastating power. Returning to his strengths will give him much-needed comfort in his fight with Ferreira, but this could be a tougher welcome back than he’s expecting.
Like Ngannou, Ferreira is a frightening puncher with a three-inch height advantage. His long limbs and fluid footwork make him an anomaly and Ngannou may be out of his depths trying to strike with him for five rounds. Ferreira only needed a few seconds to starch Bellator heavyweight champion
Ryan Bader, and he doesn’t seem fearful of the 38-year-old Cameroonian.
This fight is eerily similar to Ngannou’s last matchup in the cage against French kickboxing specialist
Ciryl Gane. Gane was lighter, faster, and a more fluid striker than Ngannou, and the former champion knew that. This is a fight where Ngannou should look to close the distance and Ferreira out of his depth. While Ferreira is a complete striker, he has gigantic gaps in his ground game. Look for Ngannou to fight cautiously before closing the distance and smothering the Brazilian’s power. Ferreira’s never been five rounds, let alone four, and the longer the fight goes, the less of a threat he’ll become. Look for Ngannou to take this fight into the deeper rounds before overwhelming his foe with some trademark ground-and-pound.
Jump To »
Ngannou vs. Ferreira
Cyborg vs. Pacheco
Eblen vs. Edwards
Kadimagomaev vs. Mohsen
McKee vs. Hughes
The Prelims
A trio of title fights tops the loaded PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants Prepare for Impact card on Saturday in Saudi Arabia.
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