Tribune News Network
New York
Brace For Impact, MMA superstar and undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the world, Francis Ngannou (17-3) will make his highly anticipated return as "The Predator” faces the most-feared heavyweight, 6-foot-8 2023 PFL Heavyweight Champion Renan "Problema” Ferreira (13-3, 3 NC) for the newly minted PFL Super Fights Championship Belt in October.
The co-main event will feature another major world title fight featuring the greatest women’s MMA fighter of all-time, Cris "Cyborg” (27-2, 1 NC), whose legacy will be on the line when she squares off against PFL two-division champion Larissa Pacheco (23-4), who looks to prove she is the greatest women’s MMA fighter.
"The Professional Fighters League announced the return of the undisputed heavyweight champion, Ngannou, to MMA in The Battle of the Giants against the most-feared heavyweight, 6-ft-8 2023 PFL Heavyweight Champion Renan Ferreira in the biggest world title fight of the year,” PFL CEO Peter Murray said.
"On October 19 live on ESPN+ in the U.S. and DAZN worldwide, MMA fans around the world will witness a true battle of the greatest fighters on the planet competing for the PFL Super Fights Championship Belts.”
"Renan is a great fighter; I have been watching him for years,” said Ngannou. "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.”
The two world title fights headline PFL’s The Battle of the Giants will be on Saturday, October 19 live on ESPN+ PPV in the U.S and DAZN worldwide.
"We are incredibly excited to be broadcasting this blockbuster night of PFL action October 19”, said Pete Oliver, CEO Growth Markets DAZN. "Francis Ngannou is one of the biggest names in combat sports and coupled with the man mountain that is Renan Ferreira this fight night is not one to be missed. Catch it all live worldwide on DAZN.”
Ngannou vs Ferreira: Heavyweight Super Fight
The world has waited over two years for Francis Ngannou to make his return to the sport of mixed martial arts. Since then, a lot has changed in the combat sports landscape, including the promotion for which "The Predator” competes, but what has remained constant is his position as ‘the baddest man on the planet.”
Now, following a two-fight game changing run in the boxing ring against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, Professional Fighters League’s Francis Ngannou will continue to face elite competition when he meets Renan Ferreira, a 6’8’ Brazilian titan who has fought eight times since Ngannou’s last MMA bout, and viciously finished his last four opponents, including this past February’s 21-second thrashing of longtime Bellator champion Ryan Bader.
This mega-fight between two of the most devastating strikers on the planet is a true test for the returning undisputed Heavyweight World Champion in his historic MMA return. "Problema” will look to impose his will over a household name and show the world who has been the king in Ngannou’s absence.
Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa
Pacheco: Women’s
Featherweight Super Fight
Cris Cyborg is considered the greatest women’s athlete in MMA history, fighting and defeating the best Featherweights in the world for almost 20 years.
Never one to shy away from fighting the best, Larissa Pacheco, a fellow Brazilian is currently on a ten-fight winning streak, with victories against names like Kayla Harrison and former Bellator Champion Julia Budd.
Both of these World Champions have respectively cleaned out their divisions and now will face off for the right to claim to be the best in the world. The Professional Fighters League has the two best athletes on the planet at 145-pounds vying for gold when they compete on October 19.