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Francis Ngannou will return to the world of mixed martial arts tonight, fighting Renan Ferreira in the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
The bout, for the PFL heavyweight title, marks Ngannou’s first fight in the sport since January 2022. On that occasion, the Cameroonian outpointed Ciryl Gane to retain the UFC heavyweight title, a year before leaving the promotion.
Ngannou, 38, went on to make his professional boxing debut last October, dropping then-champion Tyson Fury in a stunning scene in Saudi Arabia – only to lose courtesy of a controversial decision.
Ngannou then boxed again in March but was unable to trouble Anthony Joshua in the same way. “AJ” dropped Ngannou three times and sealed the knockout in the second round, in a sobering moment for the “Predator”.
All the while, as Ngannou’s boxing venture played out, he signed a deal with the PFL, lining up his MMA return. And it finally arrives tonight. Here’s all you need to know.
When is the fight?
Ngannou vs Ferreira headlines a PFL Super Fights event on Saturday (19 October), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The early fight card will begin at 6.30pm BST (10.30am PT, 12.30pm CT, 1.30pm ET), with the main card following at 9pm BST (1pm PT, 3pm CT, 4pm ET).
How can I watch it?
The event will air live on DAZN pay-per-view around the world, at a cost of £19.99, and on ESPN+ in the US. Purchase a subscription to DAZN here, with plans starting at £14.99 a month.
If you want to stream major sporting events while you are travelling or watching from abroad you’ll need a VPN. Get the best VPN deals in the UK. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.
Odds
Ngannou – 4/11
Ferreira – 21/10
Fight card (subject to change)
Francis Ngannou vs Renan Ferreira (heavyweight title)
Cris Cyborg vs Larissa Pacheco (women’s featherweight title)
Johnny Eblen vs Fabian Edwards (Bellator middleweight title)
Husein Kadimagomaev vs Zafar Mohsen (featherweight)
AJ McKee vs Paul Hughes (lightweight)
Raufeon Stots vs Marcos Breno (bantamweight)
Makkasharip Zaynukov vs Dedrek Sanders (lightweight)
Ibragim Ibragimov vs Nacho Campos (featherweight)
Mostafa Rashed Nada vs Ahmed Sami (middleweight)
Tariq Ismail vs Taha Bendaoud (featherweight)
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