Francis Ngannou made his highly anticipated return to MMA after a two-year gap. He faced off against PFL champion Renan Ferreira in a blockbuster fight in Riyadh. The buildup to the bout was immense, drawing widespread attention and attracting many celebrities. Among the notable attendees was soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who was there to support his friend Ngannou.
Cristiano Ronaldo, aged 39, continues to deliver consistent performances on the international level. As a well-known fan of combat sports, Ronaldo is frequently seen attending huge fighting events, particularly in Saudi Arabia. Before Ngannou’s fight, the Portuguese star was spotted backstage with the fighter and his coach, Erick Nicksick, expressing his support.
Ngannou suffered a crushing defeat in his most recent boxing battle against Anthony Joshua, which was also staged in Riyadh in March. Ronaldo, who was in the audience to cheer him on, also witnessed his failure. However, the result was different as the ‘Predator’ won in the first round. Last time, Ronald gifted Ngannou a whopping $135K watch, and it would be interesting to see if he continues that tradition.
Cristiano Ronaldo is all smiles with Francis Ngannou backstage 🤝#PFLSuperFights is LIVE on @ESPNPlus PPV 🍿 pic.twitter.com/14yktratp5
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 19, 2024
Many soccer stars, besides Ronaldo, are avid MMA fans. Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, for instance, attended PFL Paris last year to support fellow Frenchman Cedric Doumbe. Similarly, former Spanish team captain Sergio Ramos is a big fan of Ilia Topuria. He showed his support for the featherweight champion by attending UFC 298.
Fight fans react to Cristiano Ronaldo visiting Francis Ngannou at PFL Saudi Arabia
Francis Ngannou delivered on his promise and easily defeated Renan Ferreira. After the bout, the African fighter got overwhelmed with grief as he remembered his son, who died recently. Nonetheless, it was an impressive comeback following his recent boxing losses, and fans are eager to see him again.
However, Cristiano Ronaldo visiting Francis Ngannou was definitely one of the highlights of the night, which shocked the fans. They flocked to social media to react to the appearance of CR7. Here are some reactions;
This Cristiano guy is everywhere lmao
— Tony kafka (@cultred1) October 19, 2024
wow that is crazy
— kmlkl (@politicalloser4) October 19, 2024
Cristiano Ronaldo is in attendance at the PFL.
That’s legit the most famous person who has ever been to any MMA event.
— Luke Thomas🏋️♀️ (@lthomasnews) October 19, 2024
It’s like if Tom Brady had gone to Power Slap …. wait.
— Amy Kaplan (@PhotoAmy33) October 19, 2024
Ronaldo is literally everywhere 🤣🤣
Goat does what a goat does
— Pitchside Devils (@Pitchsidedevils) October 19, 2024
The goat have himself there
— Chimaeze Chinweike (@ikecenaexcel) October 19, 2024
GOAT. 👑 🐐🔝
— If Palestine falls the free world will fall! 🇵🇸 (@lookingatme_7) October 19, 2024
Nicksick hs no idea how huge that is
— Neverwoninasportsbet (@OtakuGar) October 19, 2024
In terms of global popularity, soccer players take the cake, and Ronaldo is the most followed individual in the world. As expected many fans were stunned to see Ronaldo at a PFL event, supporting Francis Ngannou. This is a testament to the friendship between both these superstars.
