The Francis Ngannou next fight news has arrived and the former UFC heavyweight champion has finally booked his PFL MMA debut for this fall. But who will “The Predator” be facing in his first fight inside the SmartCage?
Who will Francis Ngannou next fight be against?
Now that Francis Ngannou is 0-2 in boxing, there was reason to believe a return to MMA was likely. That was confirmed in August when the PFL announced that the Cameroonian goliath will finally make his league debut and face 2023 heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira.
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How to watch Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira in October
- Ngannou vs. Ferreira will headline a PFL pay-per-view card on Oct. 19
- A venue and location has not been announced
- The card will air exclusively on ESPN+ in the US and on DAZN internationally
Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira preview
On Oct. 19, Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira will decide who is the top heavyweight in the PFL. And the league’s new PFL Super Fights Championship belt will be on the line.
Monster mash: Ngannou is arguably the heaviest hitter MMA has ever seen. However, his opponent in his PFL debut is no slouch. He has 11 knockouts in his 13 victories and was one of the few PFL veterans to score a win when stars of the league faced the best of Bellator in February. This a fight that will most likely not go beyond the second round.
Mental focus: Ngannou is arguably the best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world. And last year he nearly beat the best heavyweight boxer of the decade, Tyson Fury. His confidence in his striking is as high as ever. Even after a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua.
But he must not be overconfident and underestimate the dangers the Brazilian can bring. If he overestimates his own striking skills he could be in for a rude awakening in October.
Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira betting odds: Ngannou (-290), Ferreira (+235)
The bottom line: This is the best fight the PFL can offer Ngannou. While Ferreira is not a big name with casual MMA fans, he is a legitimate threat. As the recent press conference showed he is one of the few men in the division bigger than him and brings close to the same level of power. Don’t blink during this fight.
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What makes Francis Ngannou so popular?
Ngannou built an impressive fight sports resume by being, arguably, the hardest puncher in MMA history. While he isn’t an overly technical fighter or a skilled grappler, he has a sound fight style that does everything it needs to so he can unleash his superhuman power and put opponents to sleep.
Let’s look at some other fascinating facts about the man known as “The Predator.”
- Francis Ngannou record: 17-3 MMA (12 knockouts, 4 submissions), 0-2 Boxing
- Francis Ngannou last fight: Split-decision loss to Tyson Fury
- Francis Ngannou height: 6-foot-4
- Ngannou won the UFC heavyweight title in a destructive second-round KO of division GOAT Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 in March 2021.
- He has scored knockouts in 71% of his MMA fights.
- Ngannou earned highlight-reel knockouts over UFC greats like Miocic, dos Santos, Cain Velasquez, Alistair Overeem, and Andre Arlovski during his career.
- While he isn’t known for his grappling he actually has four submission wins on his resume.
- Ngannou is trained by elite MMA coach Eric Nicksick and Dewey Cooper at Las Vegas gym Xtreme Couture.
Francis Ngannou net worth
The measure of a fighter’s success is in dollars and cents stacked up from a career in professional fisticuffs. Following his big fight with Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou’s net worth is believed to be around $15 million.
