Francis Ngannou is set to make his debut with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) and the organization has announced two potential opponents for him.
After a hiatus of more than two years from mixed martial arts, Ngannou will step into the boxing ring in March to face Anthony Joshua, a two-time former heavyweight champion, in Saudi Arabia. This fight was made possible by Ngannou’s remarkable performance in a close match against Tyson Fury last October.
While his focus is currently on boxing, Ngannou’s return to MMA will see him facing either Renan Ferreira or Ryan Bader, who are competing in a PFL vs Bellator Heavyweight super fight this weekend, as announced by the PFL.
In a statement, PFL CEO Pete Murray expressed excitement about Ngannou’s return to MMA and emphasized his global popularity among combat sports fans. The anticipation is high to see whether Ferreira or Bader will be Ngannou’s first opponent.
Ryan Bader, a former UFC fighter and current Bellator heavyweight champion, holds an impressive record and recently defeated MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko. On the other hand, Renan Ferreira is the reigning PFL heavyweight champion with a strong record of his own.
Ngannou expressed his intention to return to MMA and hinted that the winner of the Bader vs Ferreira match in Riyadh will likely be his next opponent. With both fighters being champions, Ngannou sees this as a fitting challenge for his return to the sport.