Francis Ngannou, 2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press convention on the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
The PFL shelled out large bucks to signal lineal heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou nicely over a 12 months in the past. And after a detour into boxing “The Predator” lastly arrived within the PFL cage at Battle of the Giants, making his debut in opposition to 2023 heavyweight champ Renan Ferreira.
A dominant win in his debut, and the PFL’s occasional PR flub, which had seen it overly targeted on their UFC rivals, would rapidly be forgotten. Ought to Ngannou be upset, Donn Davis and co. can be left with appreciable egg on their face.
Ngannou opened Saturday’s affair with a leg kick, his first strike contained in the cage in over a 12 months and a half. “Problema” answered in form, as if to say “no problem.” When Ngannou opened up a giant, Ferriera threw a haymaker that fanned; Ngannou didn’t fan on a takedown, touchdown it about 90s seconds in. Ferreira appeared content material to only stall Ngannou, then briefly caught him in a triange. Previous the halfway mark, Ngannou discovered some house and opened up, touchdown lefts and rights as Ferreira lined up then moved to his knees. Ngannou pounded away as Ferreira flattened out then appeared to go limp, with the ref persevering with to offer him a chance to recuperate whilst the printed sales space yelled “he’s out!” Ferreira may very well be seen sporting a substantial hematoma following the beatdown.
Francis Ngannou, in the meantime, had confirmed that the PFL had made the appropriate alternative in signing him and placing him on the forefront of the promotion.
Official Outcome: Francis Ngannou def. Renan Ferreira by TKO, Spherical 1, 3:32
