Francis Ngannou’s coach criticizes PFL’s lack of promotion for former UFC champ’s MMA return

The head coach of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou believes the PFL has overlooked one of the biggest aspects of his return to the cage.

Ngannou will face 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira in a pay-per-view main event on October 19th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After almost three full years away from MMA, Ngannou will make his long-awaited return to debut in the PFL SmartCage.

Ngannou vs. Ferreira is regarded as one of the most intriguing fights of 2024, especially given Ngannou’s long MMA hiatus. The fight puts two of the most powerful men in the world against each other for an event-exclusive belt.

The PFL has taken an unorthodox approach to some of its marketing tactics for the card. But, the league released an impressively produced trailer earlier this month.

Ngannou’s coach wishes the PFL emphasized what’s on the line on October 19th.

Coach Eric Nicksick questions PFL’s promo of Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira

In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, coach Eric Nicksick questioned the PFL’s marketing strategy for Ngannou vs. Ferreira.

“Not only is it crazy…I always write down goals and all this stuff, and titles, just for me to see on my board every day and when I’m doing my work,” Nicksick said of Ngannou vs. Ferreira. “I literally forgot we were fighting for a title. We get another title fight? You think a five-rounder, everything else. That’s how much it hasn’t been promoted…

“We know it’s a title fight, in the back of my mind, but I had to reassure ‘We’re fighting for a title here!’…I want to hear that more rather than these two giants fighting. This is for the PFL title, this is huge. I just wish it was promoted a little bit better, too.”

The Ngannou vs. Ferreira-led card also features the returns of Johnny Eblen, Paul Hughes, and AJ McKee. While a heavyweight world title is on the line, Ngannou’s coach feels that should’ve been a major component of pre-fight promotion.