Francis Ngannou may yet return to MMA for his PFL debut. But that’s not where his sights go right now. As he announced in April, Ngannou lost his infant son Kobe just a month after stepping into the boxing ring again. The tragic passing had taken the world by storm. ‘Predator’ went silent from the public eye for several months.
Barring a minimalistic press release, the French-Cameroonian has been in shadow mode. Kamaru Usman and Samuel Eto’o supported and followed him on his brief trip to Cameroon. However, he recently came on Joe Rogan‘s podcast. Midway through the conversation, he touched on all the hurt from his son Kobe’s passing.
I, uh, you know I was in LA when I heard about the news and it hit me really bad…And…and then I decide I’m going to meet Kobe…I mean, I always love life and know that I have everything of society. But at least for once, I’m like at least whenever I die…I’m going to see him…I’m not afraid of it. I still want to live, but at least whenever, you know, you, you get to that point to think like that…
Fracis Ngannou via The JRE MMA Show #160
Rogan recently shared a snap of them getting a treatment done with the service Ways2Well. After the tragedy, fans were warmed to see the duo, especially Ngannou, smiling again right before the get-together. Team Xtreme Couture coach Eric Nicksick recently told MMAFighting for SBN that the fighter is back in the gym. The Cameroonian is getting his smile back and starting to mingle again.
Ngannou was a one-time guest on The Joe Rogan Experience before as well. This was before his crowning moment against Stipe Miocic back in 2021. Now, the ‘Predator’ has some unfinished business in the combat sports world. The ex-UFC heavyweight champion also gave updates on his return.
Francis Ngannou to return to MMA for PFL debut in October
Ngannou still has a house in Africa but typically spends his time stateside training at Xtreme Couture with Nicksick and Dewey Cooper. In the fallout of Ngannou’s son Kobe passing away, the fighter has not divulged where he’s staying these days or how. However, ‘Predator’ has mentioned that he’s starting to train and get back into the fold again.
Francis Ngannou; Renan Ferreira (Source: si.com/es.agfight.com)Francis Ngannou hasn’t fought in MMA since 2022. He successfully landed a pair of pro boxing stints. Although he is 0-2 in the sport, Ngannou says there’s still a fight or two on the horizon in the squared ring. However, for now, he says his first fight under the PFL banner is for October in Saudi Arabia.
I will be fighting by the end of the year… I think Renan Ferreira is the guy…I’ve been telling people about this guy for almost two years. I said, ‘Watch this guy.’ Very athletic. Fast hands, 1-2, knees – very athletic. So, I think it’s going to be him.
Fracis Ngannou further said to Joe Rogan, via The JRE MMA Show #160
2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira (13-3 MMA, 7-1 PFL) will welcome him to his debut outing. Towering peers at 6-foot-8, he won the seasonal HW championship against Denis Goltsov in the second round. He laced up his title win with a 21-second finish of Ryan Bader in February at the crossover PFL vs. Bellator: Champions event.
🚨| Francis Ngannou tells Joe Rogan that he is expecting to make his #PFL debut against Renan Ferreira at an event planned for Saudi Arabia on October 19th.
The date is not yet finalised, but Ngannou says he will fight Ferreira in Saudi before the years end.
[per @joeroganhq] pic.twitter.com/7qKB6aQb4s
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) July 23, 2024
Although Ngannou was clear that the fight was not final, he seemed confident that this was the direction the promotion wanted to go. Ngannou also expects the highly touted Cedric Doumbe to be on the card. From 2023 to the present day, it has been hectic for Ngannou. Come a few months more, he will return to MMA.
