The mega-fight between two of the most devastating strikers on the planet on Saturday October 19, is a true test for the returning undisputed Heavyweight World Champion Francis Ngannou known as “The Predator”, in his historic MMA return, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) said in a statement in August.
Ngannou will battle with Renan Ferreira known as “Problema” or “The Problem” for the newly created PFL Super Fight Championship in what has been termed ‘Battle of the Giants’, at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“MMA fans around the world will witness a true battle of the greatest fighters on the planet competing for the PFL Super Fights Championship Belts,” PFL CEO Peter Murray said back in August.
While the PFL has a unique MMA competition format that includes a regular season, a post-season and a championship event, Ngannou will compete only on the promotion’s super fight cards.
Although he hasn’t competed in the sports since January 2022, Ngannou says the ‘Battle of the Giants’ main event will not be an easy night as he will prove doubters wrong by providing a solution to the “Problem”, his opponent.
Renan Ferreira, the “Problem”, has fought eight times since Ngannou’s last MMA bout, including February’s 21-second victory over longtime Bellator champion Ryan Bader.
He will look to impose his will over a household name and show the world who has been the king in Ngannou’s absence.
But “The Predator” knows his opponent very well and ready to prey on him.
“He’s a very tall, big guy. He’s very athletic. He can flip and do a lot of things most big guys can’t do,” Ngannou said of his opponent. But stated he is not frightened by his size and height.
“He might be taller than me. But it’s not about the size. It’s about the skill. It’s about the experience. It’s about the fighting spirit. And I think I dominate him on all those fields,” Ngannou said.
The co-main event of the ‘Battle of the Giants’ features the return of Cris Cyborg as she also makes her PFL debut when she faces two-time league champion Larissa Pacheco in a featherweight bout.
The newest fight added to the PFL PPV is a featherweight showdown as 11-1 veteran Husein Kadimagomaev, who trains alongside UFC star Khamzat Chimaev, makes his debut for the promotion when he faces Zafar Mohsen on the main card.
The preliminary card features the return of Bellator veteran Raufeon Stots as he takes on Marcos Breno in a bantamweight matchup.
