PFL releases stacked fight card for Ngannou vs. Ferreira super fight

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has officially announced the full fight card for its forthcoming “Battle of the Giants” event, set to take place on October 19th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card will be headlined by a heavyweight showdown between former UFC champion Francis Ngannou and reigning PFL heavyweight titleholder Renan “Problema” Ferreira.

Ngannou (17-3), who vacated his UFC belt last year, will be making his PFL debut after a brief stint in professional boxing that saw him face off against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, losing both fights. The Cameroonian knockout artist will look to start his PFL campaign on a high note against the dangerous Ferreira (13-3-3), who earned the heavyweight crown in 2023 with a commanding second-round KO of Denis Goltsov.

This would mark Ngannou’s first MMA match in almost three years, after beating Ciryl Gane by unanimous decision in January 2022 to defend his heavyweight title in his last match in the UFC.  

The co-main event promises fireworks as well, with women’s MMA legend Cris Cyborg making her PFL debut against two-division champion Larissa Pacheco in a featherweight title fight. Cyborg, a former UFC and Bellator champion, will be the heavy favorite, but Pacheco has proven to be a tough out for even the best female fighters.

Another title fight on the main card pits Bellator middleweight king Johnny Eblen against Fabian Edwards in a rematch of their 2023 bout, which Eblen won via third-round TKO. Edwards, the younger brother of UFC welterweight contender Leon Edwards, will be looking to avenge his only professional loss and capture Eblen’s title.

In a lightweight clash, former Bellator featherweight titleholder A.J. McKee takes on rising star Paul Hughes, while Husein Kadimagomaev, a training partner of UFC star Khamzat Chimaev, faces Zafar Mohsen at featherweight.