Francis Ngannou Eyes PFL Victory as Tribute to Late Son

Francis Ngannou, who lost his 15-month-old son Kobe earlier this year, considered retiring but chose to continue fighting as a tribute to his son. Ngannou, speaking at a press conference for his upcoming PFL heavyweight debut against Renan Ferreira on October 19 revealed that the loss of his son prompted deep reflection on his career. Despite contemplating retirement, Ngannou decided to channel his grief into his fighting career, viewing it as a way to honor Kobe and find strength from his memory.

Ngannou’s fight against Ferreira in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marks his return to MMA following a defeat by British boxer Anthony Joshua in March. Ngannou, who has won 17 of his 20 MMA fights, including 12 by knockout had not competed in the sport since January 2022 when he defended his UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane. After a contract dispute led to him being stripped of the UFC title, Ngannou joined PFL but initially focused on boxing, facing high-profile losses to Tyson Fury and Joshua.

Francis Ngannou expressed that returning to MMA was always part of his plan after the boxing bouts, though he has not ruled out future boxing matches. He remains focused on his fight with Ferreira, who won the PFL heavyweight tournament in 2023 and has 11 knockouts in 13 victories. Ferreira praised Ngannou but warned of the challenges he poses, including his wrestling and knockout abilities.

The event, which features the “Battle of the Giants,” will also include Cris Cyborg versus Larissa Pacheco in the co-main event. The fight card in Saudi Arabia highlights the Kingdom’s ongoing use of high-profile sports events amid criticisms of its human rights record.