After more than two years of not being in an MMA fight, it seems we may soon see Francis Ngannou on the octagon again as a major development has come up. The PFL, which is the promotion Ngannou joined after moving  from the UFC, has announced an opponent for the Cameroonian. He will fight the winner of the Ryan Bader vs. Renan Ferreira fixture.

The announcement was made by the CEO of the PFL, Peter Murray, who said they were all looking forward to seeing who Ngannou’s first opponent would be. He said: “The PFL is excited to announce Francis Ngannou’s return to MMA in the PFL PPV Division will be against the winner of the PFL Champion vs Bellator Champion Heavyweight Superfight between Renan Ferreira and Ryan Bader. 

“Francis is a true combat sports icon with a global fan base and appeal. We, along with the rest of the MMA world, will be watching to see who his first opponent will be, Ferreira or Bader.”

Indeed, the whole MMA scene cannot wait to see who Ngannou’s next opponent would be in the sport. The Predator has been occupied with boxing fixtures, and his upcoming match against former heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, is currently his priority. Earlier, Ngannou confirmed that he has not left the MMA but was unsure of when he would be fighting again: “It’s my intention to return to (MMA). When exactly, I think, all depends on March 8. Everything depends on March 8… I haven’t finished my MMA career. I just wanted to chase my dream in boxing. Obviously, I can enjoy both and combine whenever the opportunity is there. I’m not done with MMA. I have an intention to come back and fight and put on some shows.”

For now, no date or location has been announced for the Ngannou fixture, but this is the first time we are getting some positive news on something concerning an Ngannou match in MMA. The coming weeks should reveal more, especially who the opponent will be.

Leon Osamor