RIYADH — This weekend, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou will make his highly anticipated return to mixed martial arts (MMA) in Saudi Arabia, stepping into the Professional Fighters League (PFL) cage to face Renan Ferreira in a Super Fight title bout.
For Ngannou, the fight carries profound personal significance, as it marks his first return to MMA since the tragic death of his 15-month-old son, Kobe, earlier this year.
“The best way to pay tribute to him, to honour him, is to do something positive. To keep staying active because that’s the best way to pay tribute to him instead of just quit because, if I stop fighting, that would have been like quitting,” Ngannou told CNN Sport.
“(He was) a brave guy. He came as a king and he left as a king. He was just something special.”
Ngannou, known for delivering the hardest punch ever recorded in UFC history, will make his PFL debut against Brazil’s Ferreira, the reigning heavyweight champion with a record of 13 wins and 11 knockouts.
Ngannou himself boasts 17 wins, 12 of them by knockout, in 20 MMA contests.
Return to MMA After Boxing Stint
This fight will be Ngannou’s first in MMA since 2022, following a brief venture into professional boxing.
Last year, Ngannou lost a controversial decision to Tyson Fury despite knocking down the Englishman. He followed that with a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua earlier this year.
Now, the Cameroonian fighter is eager to get back to his MMA roots.
“I’m looking to get back into MMA because, regardless of how I enjoy boxing, I do miss MMA. It’s time to get back,” Ngannou said ahead of the bout.
While Ferreira is seen as a dangerous opponent, Ngannou remains confident: “He’s dangerous, but I strongly believe that I’m more dangerous than him.”
A Journey of Perseverance
Ngannou’s return to the octagon is another chapter in his remarkable journey from the sand mines of Cameroon to the global stage of combat sports.
Raised by a single mother, Ngannou worked from a young age to support his family, and his childhood struggles helped shape his resilience and determination.
At the age of 26, Ngannou made the life-altering decision to leave his homeland and embark on a treacherous, year-long journey across Africa and Europe in pursuit of a better life.
His odyssey included multiple failed attempts to cross the Strait of Gibraltar, imprisonment in a Spanish detention center, and eventually homelessness on the streets of Paris.
“I wasn’t worried about anything,” Ngannou said, reflecting on his past. “I felt like I was prepared for everything, and that’s when I realized that my past has been for so long the best thing that ever happened to me.”
In Paris, Ngannou found an MMA gym and told the owner he had no money but wanted to become a world champion.
That moment set him on the path to UFC glory. In 2021, Ngannou achieved his dream, defeating Stipe Miocic to become the UFC heavyweight champion.
Boxing on the Horizon?
Ngannou parted ways with the UFC in early 2023 and pursued boxing, a sport he has described as “unfinished business.”
Looking ahead, he remains focused on both MMA and boxing.
“Boxing for me is unfinished business,” Ngannou said.
“It’s what’s always kept me going. You can take everything from me now but that you will never take it out of me.”
As he prepares for Saturday’s showdown with Ferreira, Ngannou’s fighting spirit remains undiminished, driven by the memory of his son and his unwavering belief in conquering the world, one fight at a time.
Wherever his career takes him next, one thing is certain: Francis Ngannou’s story is far from over.
