Cameroon’s Francis Ngannou knocks out Renan Ferreira in MMA return
Francis Ngannou from Cameroon celebrated a successful comeback to mixed martial arts by defeating Renan Ferreira with a knockout in the first round of their heavyweight match during the Professional Fighters League (PFL) event called "Battle Of The Giants," which took place early Sunday morning.
Following some intense exchanges of kicks from both competitors, Ngannou, who hadn't participated in a mixed martial arts match since January 2022, brought the action to the ground. He managed to get into a dominant position behind his Brazilian rival and unleashed a flurry of powerful punches, finishing the bout with just 88 seconds remaining in the first round.
With tears in his eyes, Ngannou dedicated his win to the memory of his 15-month-old son, Kobe, who passed away in April.
"I took on this fight solely because of him. My motivation was to fight for him... I really hope people remember his name, because if it weren't for Kobe, we wouldn't be here tonight," he expressed during a post-fight interview inside the cage.
The event deviated from the PFL's typical structure of a regular season followed by playoffs to feature a lineup of "super fights" where championship belts were on the line. This marked Ngannou's return to the sport that brought him recognition after his venture into boxing.
Francis Ngannou's journey from growing up in poverty in Cameroon to reaching the top of the mixed martial arts world, where he claimed the UFC heavyweight championship in March 2021, has turned him into a beloved figure. When his UFC contract ended, he became one of the most coveted free agents in the world of combat sports.
He later participated in high-paying boxing bouts with heavyweight champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, though he was defeated in both fights. His signing was a significant achievement for the PFL as it sought to rival the UFC.
