Francis Ngannou is back in MMA.
On Monday, Most Valuable Promotions announced that Ngannou (18-3) will be part of the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card on May 16, when he fights former UFC fighter and one-time PFL heavyweight tournament winner Philipe Lins (18-5) in a five-round bout. The matchup was first reported by Sports and Culture Network.
See the announcement below.
”While the world was busy talking, I was busy evolving,” Ngannou said in an MVP press release. “Silence shouldn’t be mistaken for absence—it’s the sound of a predator closing the distance. Stepping back into the cage isn’t just a return; it’s a reclamation. 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 the entire world is watching. I am ready for this new chapter, and I cannot wait to entertain my fans again and remind the world exactly who I am and what I am capable of delivering on a highest stage. #TheComeBack”
Ngannou parted ways in the PFL with March, following a three-year run with the promotion that saw him become one of the faces of the league, but compete just once under the PFL banner. The former UFC heavyweight champion’s PFL contract allowed him to negotiate boxing bouts outside of the organization, which Ngannou took full advantage of, booking lucrative fights with heavyweight stars Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
For PFL, Ngannou’s lone in-cage appearance saw him knock out Renan Ferreira inside of a round at the Battle of the Giants event in Saudi Arabia in October 2024. He also signed on in an executive role as part of the launch of PFL Africa.
Ngannou—No. 2 at heavyweight in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings—has won his past seven MMA fights, including two championship bouts to close out his run with the promotion, which he officially parted ways with in 2023 having never lost the belt. He went 12-2 in the UFC, with notable wins over Stipe Miocic, Ciryl Gane, Cain Velasquez, Alistair Overeem, and Junior dos Santos, among others.
In his two boxing bouts, Ngannou went 0-2, losing a controversial split decision to Fury and then being knocked out in the second round by Joshua.
Lins also ended his UFC run on a win streak, having defeated his last four opponents inside the octagon before being released in March 2024. He won a PFL heavyweight tournament in 2018 and later signed with the UFC, where he went 4-2.
The May 16 Most Valuable Promotions event takes place at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles and is headlined by a double comeback bout as MMA legends Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano face off.
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