Francis Ngannou has wasted no time in getting a fight booked after his PFL exit, as he prepares to compete on the undercard of Ronda Rousey’s shock return to mixed martial arts.
On 16 May, former UFC champion Rousey will fight for the first time in 10 years as she faces fellow pioneer Gina Carano, who has not competed since 2009. The pair will headline an event on Netflix, organised by influencer Jake Paul and his company Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), and now Ngannou has been added to the undercard.
Last week, it was confirmed that Ngannou was leaving the PFL after three years and just one fight, and the former UFC heavyweight champion is set to face Philipe Lins next.
Like Ngannou, Lins is a former UFC fighter who also held PFL gold, although he did not reach the same heights as the “Predator” in the UFC.
Ngannou, 39, has an 18-3 record and is widely regarded as the most-destructive puncher in the sport’s history. He has also boxed in recent years, losing a controversial decision to then-world champion Tyson Fury in October 2023, before suffering a brutal KO by Anthony Joshua in March 2024.
Meanwhile, Lins has a record of 18-5 and is on a four-fight win streak. However, the 40-year-old Brazilian has not fought since his final UFC bout in March 2024. His UFC run followed his title-winning spell in the PFL, while Ngannou’s PFL tenure came after his own UFC stint.
Their fight, at the Intuit Dome in California, will be the latter’s first since the Cameroonian stopped Renan Ferreira in October 2024, as he won the PFL Super Fights heavyweight title.
“While the world was busy talking, I was busy evolving,” said Ngannou on Monday. “Silence shouldn’t be mistaken for absence – it’s the sound of a predator closing the distance. Stepping back into the cage isn’t just a return; it’s a reclamation.
“My return to MMA demanded a stage that matched the scale of my ambition, and partnering with MVP to bring this event to Netflix ensures the entire world is watching. I am ready for this new chapter, and I cannot wait to entertain my fans again and remind the world exactly who I am and what I am capable of delivering on a highest stage.”
“Francis Ngannou is unequivocally the best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world,” said Paul and business partner Nakisa Bidarian in a joint statement, “and his addition creates star power on one card like never before seen in the sport. Francis is one of the most-feared knockout artists the sport has ever seen, and his return to MMA instantly makes this a historic night.”
