Francis Ngannou Returns to MMA in a Historic Event
UFC and PFL Super Fights former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou will return to the MMA world on May 16. This highly anticipated comeback is part of Most Valuable Promotions’ inaugural MMA card, which will be headlined by the match between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. Ngannou will face Brazilian Philipe Lins in a five-round heavyweight fight that will serve as the co-main event of the Rousey-Carano duel, which will be broadcast live on Netflix. This will be Ngannou’s first MMA fight since he defeated Renan Ferreira in the first round to win the PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Championship in October 2024.The announcement of Ngannou’s return to MMA comes a few days after his separation from PFL, after signing with the promotion in 2023 with a unique agreement that allowed him to box and also serve as president of its PFL Africa division. He fought once for the promotion against Ferreira and competed twice in boxing, almost achieving a surprising victory over Tyson Fury in 2023 and suffering a knockout defeat to Anthony Joshua in 2024. Ngannou, born in Cameroon, joined PFL after negotiations with UFC as their heavyweight champion failed. He won the UFC heavyweight championship in 2021, when he knocked out Stipe Miocic, and made a successful defense against Ciryl Gane in 2022. However, he was stripped of the title after he and UFC could not reach an agreement on a new contract. Lins has competed in UFC, Bellator, and PFL. His last fight was as a light heavyweight in UFC, winning four consecutive fights from 2022 to 2024 before being released by the promotion in March 2024. He also won the PFL heavyweight tournament in 2018, but hasn’t competed as a heavyweight in almost six years. The Ngannou vs. Lins fight will be held under the Unified Rules of MMA in five five-minute rounds, using 4-ounce gloves and inside a hexagonal cage.While the world was talking, I was evolving. Silence should not be mistaken for absence; it is the sound of a predator closing the distance. Returning to the cage is not just a return, it is a vindication. My return to MMA demanded a stage that matched the scale of my ambition, and partnering with MVP to bring this event to Netflix ensures that the whole world is watching. I am ready for this new chapter and can’t wait to entertain my fans again and remind the world exactly who I am and what I am capable of offering on the highest stage. #TheComeBack
Francis Ngannou
