Ex-UFC, PFL champ Ngannou to return on MVP's inaugural MMA card - ESPN

Former UFC and PFL Super Fights heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou will make his return to MMA on May 16 as part of Most Valuable Promotions' inaugural MMA fight card headlined by Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano, ESPN confirmed on Monday.

Ngannou will face Brazil's Philipe Lins in a five round heavyweight bout that will serve as the co-main event to Rousey-Carano, which will stream live on Netflix. It will be Ngannou's first MMA fight since stopping Renan Ferreira in the first round for the PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Championship in October 2024.

«While the world was busy talking, I was busy evolving,» Ngannou said in a statement. «Silence shouldn't be mistaken for absence-it's the sound of a predator closing the distance. Stepping back into the cage isn't just a return; it's a reclamation. My return to MMA demanded a stage that matched the scale of my ambition, and partnering with MVP to bring this event to Netflix ensures the entire world is watching. I am ready for this new chapter, and I cannot wait to entertain my fans again and remind the world exactly who I am and what I am capable of delivering on a highest stage. #TheComeBack»

The announcement of Ngannou's MMA return comes just days after he parted ways with the PFL after signing with the MMA promotion in 2023 with a unique deal that allowed him box and also serve as chairman of its PFL Africa division. He fought once for the promotion against Ferreira and competed twice in boxing, nearly pulling off a stunning upset of Tyson Fury in 2023 and suffering a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in 2024.

Ngannou, who was born in Cameroon, joined the PFL after failed negotiations with the UFC as their heavyweight champion. He won the UFC heavyweight championship back in