It took only 3 minutes and 32 seconds to get the job done for the “Predator” Francis Ngannou to KO the reigning 2023 PFL heavyweight champion, Brazilian, Renan Ferreira.
By Boris Esono Nwenfor
BUEA, Cameroon – There were plenty of questions surrounding Ngannou’s return. Did he still have the desire to compete? Had boxing soured his taste for MMA? The 2023 PFL heavyweight champion proved to be no massive test and Ngannou passed with flying colours.
It only took 3 minutes and 32 seconds to get the job done and now Ngannou will weigh his options regarding his future in MMA. Ngannou’s return to championship form reminded everyone why he was regarded as the “Baddest Man on the Planet” by UFC CEO Dana White before he left the MMA promotion in 2023.
The two titans met in the centre of the SmartCage and drilled each other with leg kicks until, surprisingly, Ngannou successfully scored a takedown. Ferreria attempted a triangle choke, but Ngannou escaped and unleashed a violent barrage of punches that bounced the Brazilian’s head off of the canvas. Referee Dan Miragliotta could have stopped the fight sooner but stepped in when Ferreria’s body went limp from the punishment.
“I knew I didn’t miss a step. I wasn’t worried about it because as soon as I walked into the gym, I knew everything was still there,” said Ngannou. “It was just me being able to manage my emotions. Deal with life separately, not mix things up. That’s what I have been working on. I think my next move in combat sports all depends on me, and how I feel. I always think I have a lot to give and I keep thinking that way.”
“My next move in combat sports depends on how I feel and deal with my life right now,” Francis Ngannou affectionately known as the Predator said. “I always thought I still had a lot to give and hopefully I keep thinking that way.”
The fight was Ngannou’s PFL debut. The organisation took advantage of the money their biggest star now generates by building the card around him and creating commemorative ‘Super Fight belts’.
Instead of fighting for money or world titles, Ngannou stepped into the cage in memory of his son and proved why he is still the best heavyweight in the world.
“I can’t think about anything other than my son, Kobe,” an emotional Ngannou said. “I took this fight for him. Without Kobe, I wouldn’t be here fighting. Please remember my son’s name.”
Ngannou said it’s been a tough process managing his emotions in preparation for his return to the cage. “I tried to tell myself to be strong and keep moving but it was tough,” he said. “But I didn’t miss a step. I wasn’t worried about it. As soon as I walked into the gym for MMA, everything was still in me. I just had to manage my emotions and deal with life.”
Ngannou’s dominant performance has left fans and fighters alike wondering what the next chapter of his storied career will hold. For now, the Predator stands tall as the undisputed king of the heavyweight division.
