“The Predator” is again. For the primary time in 33 months, Francis Ngannou will make the stroll to an octagon.
The previous undisputed UFC heavyweight champion will return on Oct. 19 to face PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira for the PFL Tremendous Struggle belt in Ngannou’s debut with the promotion.
Since defending his UFC heavyweight title towards Ciryl Gane in January 2022, Ngannou has endured greater than two years of negotiations, triumphs and heartbreak.
After spending 2022 recovering from surgical procedure and ready out the top of his contract to develop into probably the most sought-after free agent in MMA historical past, he spent the primary half of 2023 negotiating a take care of the PFL that might enable him to compete as a boxer.
Francis Ngannou knocks down Tyson Fury of their bout in November 2023. (Picture: Justin Setterfield / Getty Pictures)
After which — after a world-class efficiency towards lineal heavyweight champ Tyson Fury and a loss towards Anthony Joshua — Ngannou suffered tragedy when his 15-month-old son died in April.
On Monday, Ngannou instructed The Athletic the loss left him with “a whole lot of insecurity, a whole lot of uncertainty,” and in contrast it to somebody popping his life with a needle.
With Wednesday’s announcement, the 37-year-old mentioned he has eagerly returned to the normalcy of his skilled profession.
And even after establishing himself as one of the vital feared strikers in MMA historical past, he talked like a fighter hungry to show himself.
“I’ve to show that I can win this combat,” he mentioned.
“The aim (of this sport) is competing, giving your greatest day by day. So sure I feel I’ve one thing to show, that I can nonetheless give my greatest.”
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As for what sort of fighter followers can anticipate practically three years after his final MMA bout, Ngannou was bluntly easy: A lot of what they’ve already seen.
“Simply the identical factor,” he mentioned, later including, “I feel I present up doing every thing to win the combat, figuring out that I didn’t go away any stone unturned and that’s what I’m anticipating to convey.”
If he’s proper, he might change the panorama of the trade. The PFL has lengthy been seen as a second-tier, if not third-tier, promotion to the UFC. Ngannou debuting with the identical one-punch energy that turned UFC’s heavyweight division the other way up would give the PFL its most essential second.
Ferreira will likely be a formidable first opponent. The 6-foot-8, 34-year-old Brazillian is 13-3 and coming off a 21-second TKO of Ryan Bader in February for the “PFL vs. Bellator Champion” Tremendous Belt. Earlier than that, Ferreira defeated Denis Goltsov to win the 2023 PFL Heavyweight Match.
In an MMA period when “superfights” and long-hyped returns trigger opponents to show down years of different alternatives, corresponding to Michael Chandler ready for Conor McGregor within the UFC, this bout marks one thing completely different.
Ferreira took a calculated threat in sitting out the 2024 PFL season whereas he waited for Ngannou’s return after incomes the shot by defeating Bader. He instructed MMA Combating in March, “I’m very pleased for this chance, and I hope it occurs quickly.”
Ngannou doesn’t discuss lowly of Ferreira’s persistence, evaluating it to his personal scenario with changing into a free agent.
“When you will have that chance, you simply bounce on it,” Ngannou instructed The Athletic. “Simply as I went after my very own alternative in leaving the UFC once I selected that was vital, I did what I needed to do for my very own alternative.”
Within the 15 months since signing with the PFL, Ngannou’s tactic of ready out his contract hasn’t been duplicated by many others. However he doesn’t lose hope in altering the trade and believes his threat in 2022 constructed MMA-wide consciousness of how fighter contracts work.
He even mentioned some fighters have approached him for steerage on methods to negotiate their future offers.
“Rome wasn’t in-built someday. Change isn’t going to return round from someday or one 12 months, perhaps not 5 years,” he mentioned. “However you may be sure that lots of people right this moment make strikes and selections utilizing that for example.”
He additionally doesn’t lose any sleep over time that he did lose.
“I wasn’t lacking something. … My resolution was for what I wished and I what I feel I ought to have finished for me, so I don’t have remorse.”
“On the finish of the day, take a look at me. I feel issues performed out for me simply completely.”
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(Prime photograph courtesy of PFL)