Francis Ngannou returns to MMA this weekend for PFL when he takes on Renan Ferreira.
But some might not even realize the bout is just days away.
That is how Ngannou’s head coach, Eric Nicksick, feels regarding the promotion – or lack there of – by the PFL for the super-fight.
Related: 2024 PFL Schedule: Fight card, betting odds, watch times for PFL Season
“I literally forgot we were fighting for a title,” Nicksick told MMA Fighting recently (thanks to BJPenn.com for the quotes). “We get another title fight? You think a five-rounder, everything else. That’s how much it hasn’t been promoted.
“We know it’s a title fight. But in the back of my mind, I had to reassure ‘we are fighting for a title here.’ I want to hear that more rather than these two giants fighting. This is for the PFL title, this is huge. I just wish it was promoted a little bit better.”
Ngannou has not completed inside the cage since 2022 when he defended his UFC heavyweight title via decision over Ciryl Gane. He has fought twice a inside the boxing ring since, losing to both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants is set for Saturday, Oct. 19 from The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Along with Ngannou vs. Ferreira for the super-fight heavyweight title, Cris Cyborg meets Larissa Pacheco for the women’s featherweight belt while Johnny Eblen defends his Bellator title vs. Fabian Edwards.
