Former UFC king Francis Ngannou returns to his beloved cage on Saturday, October 19, following a two-fight foray in the boxing ring. The 37-year-old warrior locks horns with another MMA giant, Brazil’s Renan Ferreira, at the Mayadeen in Riyadh, with the brand-spanking new PFL heavyweight Superfight Championship belt up for grabs. It’s rightly been tagged as ‘Battle of the Giants’.
Francis ‘Predator’ Ngannou is making his PFL debut after signing for the organisation in May 2023. It’s a huge boost for the Professional Fighters League, which Donn Davis launched in 2018, and for the newly created Super Fights division. We last saw Ngannou in cage action at UFC 270 way back in January 2022, when he defended his UFC heavyweight crown against Ciryl Gane, winning by unanimous decision in California. That was also the last occasion Ngannou would fight under the UFC banner, as following a contentious contract dispute, he left the promotion, and Dana White stripped him of his crown in January 2023.
Getty Images Far from having his profile diminished by leaving the UFC, the hard-hitting Cameroonian hit the headlines around the globe following two huge boxing bouts in Riyadh with Tyson Fury (October 2023) and Anthony Joshua (May 2024). Despite being pole-axed by AJ in the second round, Ngannou took Tyson Fury the distance and came within a whisker of prising the crown from the Gypsy King’s head.
Ngannou may be chairman and equity owner in PFL Africa, but he can’t afford to take his first MMA opponent in almost three years too lightly. Renan Ferreira, known as ‘Problema’, is currently on a four-fight winning streak stretching back to June 2023. All those wins came by way of KO or TKO, with three of those successes coming in the opening round. During that run of victories, Ferreira claimed the 2023 PFL heavyweight belt when beating Denis Goltsov in Washington, DC, last November. Following that, ‘Problema’ recorded his quickest ever victory, stopping Bellator star, Ryan Bader, after just 21 seconds in Riyadh this February, in his most recent cage appearance. Be prepared to brace for impact as two of the most ferocious punchers on the planet collide.
The co-main event sees the legendary Cris Cyborg make her PFL debut against fellow Brazilian and the first two-division PFL champion, Larissa Pacheco, with the inaugural women's featherweight Superfight Championship title on the line.
Let GOAL help guide you through all the info you need ahead of the PFL heavyweight Superfight Championship clash: Ngannou vs Ferreira, including how to watch ‘Battle Of The Giants’, start times, and the full fight card.
When will Ngannou vs Ferreira take place?
| Date: | Saturday, October 19 |
| PFL prelims start time: | DAZN PPV show is expected to begin at 6:30 pm BST / ESPN+ 1:30 pm ET |
| Main event cagewalks (approx): | DAZN PPV 11:00 pm BST / ESPN+ 6:00 pm ET |
The PFL Battle of the Giants: Ngannou vs Ferreira will take place on Saturday, October 19, at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The flagship arena stands as one of the largest event facilities in the region. It's a monumental cultural venue that hosts significant national and international events in the heart of Riyadh region's historic town of Diriyah.
How to watch Francis Ngannou vs Renan Ferreira
Getty Images In the UK, the mouthwatering Ngannou vs Ferreira cage encounter and the whole PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants card will be shown live on DAZN PPV on Saturday. The PPV is priced at £19.99 for UK viewers to watch on any device, including Smart TVs, game consoles, phones, tablets, and PCs.
In the US and Canada the prelims also stream on ESPN+ at 1:30 pm ET. The main card airs on pay-per-view (ESPN+) at 4:00 pm ET. The pay-per-view card is $49.99 from ESPN+.
| Country | Main event cage walks (approx) | PPV Price | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 6:00 pm ET | $49.99 USD | ESPN+ PPV |
| Canada | 6:00 pm ET | $49.99 CAD | ESPN+ PPV |
| United Kingdom | 11:00 pm BST | £19.99 GBP | DAZN PPV |
| Australia | 01:00 am AEST (Sunday) | $40.00 AUD | STAN PPV |
Watch Ngannou vs Ferreira from anywhere with a VPN
If the Ngannou vs. Ferreira PPV isn't available to watch live in your area or if you're traveling, you can use a VPN to tune into the action from wherever you are. A VPN creates a secure connection that lets you bypass geographical restrictions and access your favorite streaming services from anywhere.
Ngannou vs Ferreira Fight Card
Main Card
| Weight class | Fight |
|---|---|
| Heavyweight superfight title | Francis Ngannou vs Renan Ferreira |
| Women’s featherweight superfight title | Cris Cyborg vs Larissa Pacheco |
| Bellator middleweight world title | Johnny Eblen vs Fabian Edwards |
| Featherweight | Husein Kadimagomaev vs Zafar Mohsen |
| Lightweight | A.J. McKee vs Paul Hughes |
Francis Ngannou MMA Stats
Age: 37
Height: 6ft 4in
Reach: 83in
Total fights: 20
Record: 17-3 (12 KOs)
Renan Ferreira MMA Stats
Age: 34
Height: 6ft 8in
Reach: 85in
Total fights: 19
Record: 13-3 (3 NC) (11 KOs)