Cristiano Ronaldo's touching words with Francis Ngannou before PFL victory

Francis Ngannou knocked retired Renan Ferreira successful his PFL debut and the erstwhile UFC heavyweight champion had an affectional pre-fight speech with Al-Nassr guardant Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo and Francis Ngannou shared an affectional infinitesimal up of the erstwhile UFC star's instrumentality to MMA.

Ngannou near the UFC arsenic their heavyweight champion backmost successful January 2023 and moved into boxing, suffering defeats against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. However, helium returned to winning ways successful his debut combat for PFL.

Ngannou knocked retired Renan Ferreira successful the opening circular of his archetypal MMA combat since January 2022 and helium dedicated the triumph to his precocious son Kobe, who tragically passed away erstwhile helium was conscionable 15 months aged earlier this twelvemonth owed to an undiagnosed encephalon malformation.

And up of the fight, Ronaldo spoke with Ngannou successful his dressing country astir his loss, having had his son tragically dice during childbirth successful 2022. Speaking to MMA Junkie astir the encounter, Ngannou's manager Erick Nicksick said: "Francis got up to wrapper his hands, and Ronaldo could consciousness Francis' energy, and helium goes, 'I'm conscionable going to springiness him words of encouragement.'

"He was talking astir the nonaccomplishment of 1 of his children and however helium related to that. I cognize however large of a prima helium is, but sitting adjacent to maine and having this precise idiosyncratic speech made him consciousness similar helium was portion of the squad close past and there.

"His lad [Cristiano Jr] was successful determination with america and hanging out, truthful it was precise overmuch a welcomed vigor to person successful the room, particularly idiosyncratic of that stature who understands the highest pressure."

Speaking aft his victory, Ngannou broke down successful tears arsenic helium spoke astir his precocious son. "I can't deliberation astir thing different than my lad Kobe. I lone took this combat due to the fact that of him and I'm done," an affectional Ngannou said.

"I anticipation they tin retrieve his sanction because, without Kobe, we wouldn't beryllium present contiguous and I wouldn't person fought. It has been tough. Not lone the grooming campy but the past fewer days person been afloat of emotion.

"I couldn't bash thing without reasoning astir it. I tried to beryllium beardown and springiness everything to support moving but it's hard. I deliberation my adjacent determination successful combat sports depends connected me; however I consciousness and however I woody with my beingness close now.

"I ever thought I person a batch to springiness successful combat athletics and hopefully one support reasoning that mode and support that thought successful life. I conscionable privation to say, delight retrieve my son, retrieve my lad Kobe. I dedicate this to him, this is to Kobe."

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