Francis Ngannou leaves Renan Ferreira unconscious with first-round KO

Francis Ngannou was returning to MMA pursuing a adjacent three-year hiatus arsenic helium took connected PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira successful Saudi Arabia

Francis Ngannou needed little than 4 minutes to render Renan Ferreira unconscious and observe an affectional instrumentality to MMA.

Ngannou was returning to the cage much than 2 years aft his past outing, successful which helium defended his UFC heavyweight rubric against Ciryl Gane. He past switched his attraction to the boxing ring, giving Tyson Fury a immense scare lone to gaffe to a points defeat, earlier helium was brutally knocked retired successful the 2nd circular by Anthony Joshua.

Ngannou had already faced disconnected with Ferreira earlier helium was stopped by Joshua and helium kept his connection by confirming his combat against the PFL's elephantine champion contempt losing his one-year-old lad this summer. Ferreira won his rubric past twelvemonth earlier beating Ryan Bader earlier successful 2024 to acceptable up a clash with Ngannou. And aft a diligent opening minute, Ngannou amazingly took the combat to the crushed with a takedown earlier finishing the combat with a vicious barrage of ground-and-pound.

"I can't deliberation astir thing [other] than my lad Kobe. I lone took this combat due to the fact that of him," said an affectional Ngannou arsenic held backmost the tears. "I went to combat for him. I anticipation they tin retrieve his sanction due to the fact that without Kobe, we wouldn't beryllium present tonight. I wouldn't person fought."

In the co-main event, featherweight Cris Cyborg became the PFL's archetypal Superfight champion with a unanimous points triumph implicit chap Brazilian Larissa Pacheco. Cyborg, who is besides Bellator's 145lb champion, edged retired the two-weight PFL champion implicit 5 rounds, winning by a people of 49-46 connected each 3 judges' cards.

Earlier, Paul Hughes seized his accidental to radiance connected the large signifier erstwhile helium outpointed erstwhile Bellator lightweight champion AJ McKee implicit 3 rounds. Ireland's Hughes was warring for conscionable the 2nd clip nether the PFL banner but edged a split-decision against his decorated opponent. "Look astatine maine now, I'm present connected 1 of the champion and I took connected 1 of the champion guys connected the planet," said Hughes. "That wasn't 1 of my champion performances, I was gassed aft the archetypal round; I didn't person a large grooming camp."

Birmingham's Fabian Edwards fell abbreviated successful his Bellator middleweight rubric rematch with champion Johnny Eblen. Eblen had stopped his challenger successful the 3rd circular past twelvemonth but Edwards earned a 2nd changeable conscionable 12 months later. And though helium finished strongly, Edwards had excessively overmuch crushed to marque up with each of the 3 judges scoring the combat to the champion by a people of 48-47.

In the opening combat of the night, Taha Bendaoud defeated Tariq Ismail successful the opening combat of the nighttime via second-round triangle. England's Ibragim Ibragimov, whos 3 younger brothers are connected the books astatine Manchester United, won each of the 3 rounds against Nacho Campos to grounds his 2nd triumph successful the PFL. Makkasharip Zaynukov dominated Dedrek Sanders to triumph by a people of 30-26 connected the 3 judges' scorecards portion Raufeon Stots closed the aboriginal paper by choking retired Marcos Breno successful the last session.