Can Ngannou Reassert Status in Titanic Clash with Ferreira?

By
Gabriel Gonzalez
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PFL Battle of the Giants - Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira
2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (Alvaro Martinez / PFL)

Francis Ngannou will look to reassert his position in MMA as he makes his PFL debut against 2023 tournament champion Renan Ferreira.

Francis Ngannou is the UFC heavyweight champion who never lost the title.  He knocked out former champions and contenders like Stipe Miocic, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, and others en route to being regarded as one of the knockout artists of the generation.  That’s just inside the cage.  In the ring, though he came up short, the financial windfall he made from fights with superstars Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have changed the literal fortunes of himself and his family likely for generations to come.  From a competitive and business standpoint, the 38 year-old has achieved the kind of career that few could dream of.

He is technically speaking still “the man” in MMA.  But the world of MMA is a business as well and the fan base has had nearly two years to move on from the idea of Ngannou as a UFC heavyweight.  The conversation today now revolves around Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall at the top of the land of giants.  Ngannou’s next chapter is a multitude of subplots, some beyond his full control.  A dominant victory would stoke flames to the fiery conversation that the UFC champion is not quite the world’s best heavyweight in MMA.  From a competitive standpoint, it could also be his finale (or close to it) simply for his age and for the now vast business opportunities in front of him in the offices of the PFL.  Finally, there is the personal motivation to honor the memory of his late son and the admirable strength to shoulder on going forward.

Renan Ferreira’s journey to the fight is more straightforward, but it is nevertheless a seminal moment.  The Brazilian powerhouse has been building toward an opportunity like this for years.  A veteran of the PFL since making his promotional debut in 2021, the 6’8 contender has been one of the marquee signees of the promotion’s short history as he’s wrecked havoc across three seasons.  But while he’s been must-see television for the PFL, it is these past two years that have seen him turn the corner as he made his way to the playoffs before stopping longtime contender Denis Goltzov to finally win his first tournament.  His encore this past February went about as perfectly as a fighter could dream up as he stopped longtime Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader in 21 seconds to give the PFL their only victory at the PFL vs Bellator event.

Despite his success, a victory over Ngannou would be on another level altogether.  His stock would go through the roof and he would likely be able to command top dollar were he to hit free agency in the near future.  Should he stay in the PFL, he would undoubtedly also be in immediate talks for a lucrative rematch.  At 34 years-old as a heavyweight, he is in the perfect position to add more to his already notable career.  A new saga beginning with a victory over Ngannou would be amazing to say the least.

A victory for Ngannou would complete quite the circuit.  After putting his MMA career on hold to entertain fights in boxing, a triumph in the PFL cage would complete the promise made nearly two years ago when he signed with the company.  There will always be fights found for him, whether it be the winner between Goltzov and Oleg Popov or someone else.  But one could argue the time to call it a career couldn’t be better if he chose to focus on his endeavors in the front office for PFL Africa or in other business ventures.  For Ferreira, finding new opponents to continue boosting his profile would be a challenge.  He would likely need to grant Ngannou a rematch, especially considering he already holds victories over the Bellator champion and one of the two 2024 tournament finalists in Goltzov.

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