Francis Ngannou is plotting his return to MMA.
The former UFC heavyweight champion, who inked a lucrative multi-fight deal with PFL in free agency, is nearing his debut for the promotion with plans to compete again in October. Just after signing with PFL, Ngannou got the opportunity to clash with Tyson Fury in a heavyweight boxing match, which was followed by a fight against Anthony Joshua.
While he still plans on returning to boxing again in the future, Ngannou says his next fight is going to be MMA with expectations that a date could be finalized soon.
“I think Renan Ferreira is the guy,” Ngannou said about his opponent when appearing on The Joe Rogan Podcast. “I’ve been telling people about this guy for almost two years. Very athletic. Fast hands, knees, very athletic. I think it’s going to be him.
“That’s what the PFL is working on. October, sometime. They’re working on October. It’s not finalized but they were talking about Oct. 19.”
Additional sources close to Ferreira confirmed to MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz that talks are ongoing for a showdown against Ngannou in October.
Ngannou also revealed that Saudi Arabia is the most likely destination with talks about potentially adding Cedric Doumbe to the card as well.
PFL entered into a partnership with Saudi Arabia back in 2023 after selling a minority stake in the company for $100 million. The promotion debuted there back in February with the next date now apparently expected in October.
When it comes to Ngannou’s involvement, he originally planned on debuting for the PFL at an earlier date but now he’s sticking to his commitment by returning to the cage before the end of 2024.
“I will say MMA [is definitely] next,” Ngannou said. “Because I was supposed to fight, it’s been a little over a year now since the PFL agreement, and I was supposed to have a fight within a year so now we’re getting a little out of the timeline.”
Ferreira earned the opportunity to welcome Ngannou to the PFL after he knocked out Bellator champion Ryan Bader at that debut card in Saudi Arabia back in February.
Assuming that fight happens in October, Ngannou obviously plans to win and then at that point, he’ll turn his attention back to another boxing match.
“I will say most likely boxing [after my PFL debut],” Ngannou said. “I will see the landscape and who I can get.”
If he ultimately fights in October as scheduled, Ngannou would return just a month after turning 38 years old and that’s an age where he knows there’s probably limited time left for him in combat sports.
He’s certainly not putting an expiration date on his career but “The Predator” is staying realistic when it comes to how many years or fights he has left in him.
“I want to leave the sport before the sport leaves me,” Ngannou said. “I’m thinking like 41. By [then]. Maybe in my 40s, I still feel like I have it. If I feel like at 41, I feel like I have it … take one at a time. What I really don’t want to do is wake up and go to the gym like I’m forced [to go]. If I feel like I have it or I’m excited, oh today’s a sparring day, I’m going to get there whether I beat somebody up or they’re going to beat me up. Either way, I’m excited!
“If I still have that, I’ll keep going. As soon as I don’t have that, even if I’m not 40 yet, I think that’s a sign.”
Ngannou really isn’t putting too much thought into that right now and he’s confident that there’s still plenty of fight left in him before calling it a career.
“I think I still have a couple [boxing matches] in me,” Ngannou said with a smile. “A couple of boxing fights. I have a couple of MMA fights.”
