PFL President provides an encouraging update on Francis Ngannou’s MMA return

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou’s long-awaited PFL debut is drawing near, according to one of the league’s top officials.

Ngannou hasn’t fought in MMA since a unanimous decision victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. One year after the fight, Ngannou opted to part ways with the UFC following a lengthy, strained contract dispute.

Ngannou has since fought twice in the boxing ring against heavyweight stars Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, suffering defeats in both fights. He’s been on hiatus after the tragic death of his son in Cameroon.

After signing with the PFL in 2023, a timeline for Ngannou’s PFL debut has been kept secret. He’s expected to face Renan Ferreira; who finished Ryan Bader in mere seconds at PFL vs. Bellator earlier in 2024.

Ngannou is back in the gym and is transfixed on an MMA comeback fight, according to the PFL brass.

Francis Ngannou’s PFL debut “In the works”, per Ray Sefo

In a recent interview with MMA journalist Kevin Iole, PFL President of Fighter Operations Ray Sefo was asked for an update on Ngannou’s MMA return.

“There have been discussions, Francis has been back in camp for the last few weeks in Las Vegas at Xtreme Couture,” Sefo said of Ngannou. “That’s in the works and I think we’re just in the midst of trying to finalize where it’s going to be, when the date is, and what kind of timeframe it’s going to take for both athletes to be ready, and we’ll go from there.”

Ngannou is also the chairman of PFL Africa, which is scheduled to launch in 2025. It’s uncertain, as of this writing, if he intends to fight multiple times in the PFL SmartCage before fully transitioning to an administrative role.

Fight fans have waited almost three years for Ngannou’s MMA return, and it sounds like we’re just a few more months away from it coming to fruition.