Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira fight explained: Why ‘The Predator’ is not competing in UFC on Saturday

Francis Ngannou returns to blended martial arts after two years away from the game and as many high-profile boxing fights. Ngannou will reply many questions after his Skilled Fighters League debut at PFL Battle of the Giants on Saturday.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou — thought of the lineal champion since he held the title when exiting the promotion — faces 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira. “Problema” earned a shot at “The Predator” by knocking out Bellator heavyweight champ Ryan Bader in 21 seconds. Ngannou is a large favourite on this inaugural PFL heavyweight superfight title bout, the place there are reliable questions contemplating his 1,000-day MMA layoff.

“That is an MMA battle, so the whole lot can be on show,” Ngannou mentioned in the course of the last press convention this week. “We have ready the whole lot, and the whole lot can be on show. On his finish, too, I consider he [Ferreira] is getting ready some issues as a result of he’s a jiu-jitsu black belt, and he isn’t undermining my punching energy.”

Ngannou has skilled unbelievable highs and lows between his final and subsequent MMA battle. Let’s get you on top of things with the place Ngannou is forward of Saturday’s battle

Why is Ngannou preventing within the PFL?

Ngannou made shockwaves by leaving the UFC in January 2023. “The Predator” vacated the UFC heavyweight championship after negotiations with UFC fell aside. Ngannou and UFC CEO Dana White have repeatedly sparred within the media concerning the circumstances surrounding his exit. Ngannou’s sticking factors included pay, fighter rights and the chance to pursue exterior ventures. The UFC allegedly did not budge on a lot aside from pay and free company. PFL welcomed a lot of Ngannou’s calls for to amass MMA’s prime heavyweight.

The place has Ngannou been?

Cash wasn’t the one level of deadlock between Ngannou and the UFC. The native of Cameroon sought freedom from UFC’s notoriously strict contracts. UFC fighters are impartial contractors, but UFC’s contracts stop them from competing for different fight sports activities promotions. Ngannou’s PFL deal allowed him to pursue big-ticket boxing fights towards former unified world champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Ngannou shockingly took Fury to a break up choice in 2023 earlier than struggling a brutal KO loss to Joshua in March 2024. Ngannou’s boxing excursions delayed his MMA profession. When Ngannou and Ferreira battle on Saturday, greater than 1,000 days may have handed since Ngannou defeated Ciryl Gane in January 2022.

How did Renan Ferreira win the Ngannou sweepstakes?

Discovering an acceptable opponent for Ngannou’s PFL debut was among the many promotion’s greatest hurdles. Analysts and followers speculated that PFL may signal a notable UFC alum like Alistair Overeem or Junior dos Santos. Others steered they signal a notable UFC heavyweight coming into free company. One such instance was Derrick Lewis, who the UFC locked down earlier than he may probably communicate with PFL. The promotion in the end appeared inward. A PFL vs. Bellator card was held in February after the PFL acquired the promotion. Ferreira and Ryan Bader met in a battle between PFL and Bellator heavyweight champions. The winner earned the fitting to welcome Ngannou to the PFL with a assured $2 million purse, as negotiated by Ngannou on behalf of his future opponent.

What title is Ngannou preventing for?

The PFL primarily operates below a playoff format. Fighters qualify for and compete in weight class tournaments to win $1 million prizes. Ferreira received the 2023 PFL heavyweight match by defeating two fighters within the playoffs. Battle of the Giants is a PPV occasion exterior of the season format. The promotion raised the stakes for Ngannou vs. Ferreira by introducing the inaugural PFL heavyweight superfight championship. Saturday’s co-main occasion between PFL match winner Larissa Pacheco and Bellator champion Cris Cyborg will equally function the PFL girls’s featherweight superfight title.

Why is not Ngannou preventing Jon Jones for the UFC heavyweight title?

UFC would have seemingly booked Ngannou vs. Jones had Ngannou re-signed with the promotion. Ngannou beforehand mentioned he was supplied $8 million for the Jones battle. Jones as an alternative made his long-awaited heavyweight debut in March 2023 towards Gane for the vacant heavyweight title. Jones — thought of far and away the all-time biggest MMA mild heavyweight — rolled by Gane in minutes. Jones and Ngannou now battle for various promotions however that does not imply they cannot battle one another. The first impediment is the UFC’s unwillingness to co-promote. UFC and PFL air on ESPN, which means there aren’t any issues about broadcast rights. White and firm may e book the battle tomorrow in the event that they needed to. As an alternative, Jones will defend the UFC heavyweight title towards Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in what’s rumored to be each fighters’ retirement bouts.

Under is the entire battle card for PFL Battle of the Giants together with the newest odds. Verify again all week lengthy for the newest information, options and different content material round this occasion.

PFL Battle of the Giants battle card, odds

• Francis Ngannou -320 vs. Renan Ferreira +230, PFL heavyweight superfight title
• Larissa Pacheco -150 vs. Cris Cyborg +120, PFL girls’s featherweight superfight title
• Johnny Eblen (c) -400 vs. Fabian Edwards +275, Bellator welterweight title
• Husein Kadimagomaev -1000 vs. Zafar Mohsen +550, featherweights
• A.J. McKee -175 vs. Paul Hughes +135, lightweights
• Raufeon Stots -750 vs. Marcos Breno +460, bantamweights
• Makkasharip Zaynukov -450 vs. Dedrek Sanders +300, lightweights
• Ibragim Ibragimov -1200 vs. Macho Campos +600, featherweights
• Tariq Ismail vs. Taha Bendaoud, featherweights

PFL Battle of the Giants data

• Date: Oct. 19
• Location: The Mayadeen — Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Begin time: 4 p.m. ET (Principal card) 
• How one can watch: ESPN+ PPV