Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Nganou commented on his mindset before the upcoming fight against Renan Ferreira on October 19, which will headline the PFL: Battle of the Giants event.
I'm not returning to MMA, I never left MMA. The fact that those fights even happened, it was something exceptional. I had that dream for over 20 years, and I finally put it into fruition. Renan is a great fighter; I have been watching him for years. I have been studying him for years, in fact I’ve been telling people to watch this guy. He’s quite unique, he’s athletic, fast, his size doesn’t impress me as much as his skill.
Nganou last competed in an MMA match in January 2022 at UFC 270, where he won against Ciryl Gane by unanimous decision. His record boasts 17 wins and three losses.
Ferreira's most recent appearance in the cage was in February 2024 during a joint event by PFL and Bellator, where he defeated Ryan Bader by technical knockout in the first round. He has a total of 13 wins and three losses.