Francis Ngannou KO’s Renan Ferreira, wins heavyweight superfight belt at PFL: Battle of the Giants
The Professional Fighters League returned to us tonight, October 19, 2024, for PFL: Battle of the Giants, going down live from Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Headlining the event is a heavyweight affair between lineal UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou (18-3) and PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira (13-4) 3 NC.
Ngannou hadn’t fought in MMA since his lone heavyweight title defense against then interim champion Ciryl Gane back in January of 2022, picking up his first ever decision win in a very hard-fought victory.
He had however fought two of the best heavyweight boxers in the world since then, facing then WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, losing the bout via split decision in a clash most scored for him back in October of last year, and getting knocked out by former WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua earlier this year in March.
Ferreira on the other hand had gone 5-1 (2 NC) across eight bouts since Ngannou’s last MMA fight; this began with a win over Jamelle Jones (KO), before going winless in his next three outings, losing trio of fights against former UFC talent Klidson Abreu (UD), former PFL heavyweight champion Ante Delija (TKO), and 2-0 Contender Series alum Rizvan Kuniev (UD), though the defeats to Abreu and Kuniev were both overturned as they each failed post-fight drug tests.
The Brazilian champion then won his next four-straight coming into tonight’s main event, defeating the likes of Matheus Scheffel (KO), former UFC prospect Maurice Greene (KO), former ACA heavyweight champion Denis Goltsov (TKO) where he claimed the PFL heavyweight title, and Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader (TKO) in their champion versus champion clash this past February.
Continue reading to see how our PFL: Battle of the Giants heavyweight main event of the evening went down:
Official Result: Francis Ngannou def. Renan Ferreira via KO (punches) at 3:32 of round one
Ngannou opened up the bout with a heavy leg kick that was soon returned by Ferreira. The two each landed a couple more before Ngannou shot in on and secured a double leg takedown one minute in. The Brazilian threw his legs up for a triangle choke, a solid attempt, though Ngannou battled his way out of it with relative ease.
Ngannou settled in Ferreira’s guard and opened up with some heavy punches from top position, forcing Ferreira to turtle up where he continued landing heavy leather onto the ear of Ferreira, KO’ing him on the spot.
FRANCIS NGANNOU IS BACKKK!!! 😱#PFLSuperFights
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) October 19, 2024
Francis Ngannou returned to form tonight at PFL: Battle of the Giants, storming through an incredibly dangerous world champion opponent. At 38 years of age, who should he face next?
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