Francis Ngannou Set to Follow UFC Into Saudi Arabia as Ex-Champ Faces PFL Champ Renan Ferreira After Anthony Joshua Loss

Francis Ngannou recently suffered his second and consecutive defeat in boxing against Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia. This led many people to wonder what could be next for ‘The Predator’. Meanwhile, PFL founder Donn Davis recently mentioned Ngannou, claiming that he will return to Saudi Arabia for his first MMA fight inside the SmartCage.

Saudi Arabia has become a hotspot for combat sports since last year. After hosting several boxing matches, the Kingdom is now focussing on hosting MMA fights with the UFC looking forward to hosting its first event in the Middle Eastern nation. Their initial March fight card did not excite the Saudi authorities and they asked for bigger matchups, pushing the event to June. On the other hand, the PFL is looking to continue its partnership with the Kingdom and is gearing up for another event, featuring Francis Ngannou.

Francis Ngannou to fight Renan Ferreira in Saudi Arabia

Brazilian ace Renan Ferreira recently knocked out Ryan Bader in just 21 seconds at the PFL vs. Bellator Champs event that took place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 24th February. Francis Ngannou was cage side as he was set to face the winner of the Ferreira vs. Bader fight. However, Ferreira and ‘The Predator’ did not face off after the fight, creating doubts about whether the fight would take place or not.

Rest assured, PFL founder Donn Davis has opened up about it and has given the green light for the Renan Ferreira vs. Francis Ngannou fight. Despite the Cameroonian-French fighter claiming that he might have another boxing match next, he will be making his MMA return in Saudi Arabia. “[Ngannou will compete] as early as July and no later than September,” said Donn Davis during a recent edition of ‘The MMA Hour‘. Meanwhile, Renan Ferreira claims to be waiting patiently for the former UFC champion and plans to cause problems for the Cameroonian-French star.

Renan Ferreira is looking to be a “big problem” for ‘The Predator’

Renan Ferreira is full of confidence for his upcoming fight against Francis Ngannou. He recently appeared in an exclusive interview with ‘MMA Junkie‘, where praised the former UFC champion for innovating a new way of doing business in the world of MMA. He said, “I think Francis is a pioneer when it comes to this way of doing business. I have to give it to him. I have to applaud him for it.”

After showing respect to Francis Ngannou, Renan Ferreira opened up on his honest thoughts about the upcoming fight. He believes to be in a great position following the win over Ryan Bader and is planning to cause problems for Ngannou when they square off inside the SmartCage, claiming that a return to MMA won’t be easy for the heavyweight. ” I just need him to know that once he comes back to MMA, he’s going to have a big problem here in me ready to face off against him,” said Ferreira.

Donn Davis mentioned that Francis Ngannou will make his MMA debut for PFL between July to September. Meanwhile, the UFC is set to host their first event in Saudi Arabia in June, but we still don’t have any word on that front. It will be interesting to see how things shape up for these events in the months to come.

Also Read: Francis Ngannou Makes Serious Allegations Against Organizers of the Anthony Joshua Fight; Eddie Hearn Claps Back