Outside Source
Francis Ngannou will return to MMA competition in May. | PFL MMA
It didn’t take long for Francis Ngannou to find a new home.
The former UFC heavyweight champion will return to MMA competition when he faces Philipe Lins in the co-main event of a Most Valuable Promotions card on Netflix on May 16. The card takes place at the Intuit Center in Los Angeles and is headlined by a women’s featherweight clash between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano.
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Ngannou was released from his Professional Fighters League contract late last week. The Cameroonian-born Frenchman competed once for PFL in three years, knocking out Renan Ferreira at the “Battle of the Giants” in October 2024. Ngannou has won his last seven MMA appearances — six of which came under the UFC banner. “The Predator” has also competed twice in professional boxing since parting ways with the UFC in 2023, losing a decision to Tyson Fury and suffering a knockout loss against Anthony Joshua. He owns notable wins over the likes of Ciryl Gane, Stipe Miocic, Junior dos Santos, Cain Velasquez, Curtis Blaydes, Alistair Overeem and Andrei Arlovski.
Ready for a New Chapter
”While the world was busy talking, I was busy evolving,” Ngannou said in a release. “Silence shouldn’t be mistaken for absence—it’s the sound of a predator closing the distance. Stepping back into the cage isn’t just a return; it’s a reclamation. My return to MMA demanded a stage that matched the scale of my ambition, and partnering with MVP to bring this event to Netflix ensures the entire world is watching. I am ready for this new chapter, and I cannot wait to entertain my fans again and remind the world exactly who I am and what I am capable of delivering on a highest stage.”
Lins, meanwhile, exited the UFC on a four-bout winning streak. He most recently competed at light heavyweight and is coming off a unanimous decision win over Ion Cutelaba in March 2024. The 40-year-old Brazilian won the PFL heavyweight title in 2018 by stopping Josh Copeland via fourth-round technical knockout.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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