Francis Ngannou, the lineal heavyweight champion, made a triumphant return to MMA with a first-round knockout of Renan Ferreira in his PFL debut at the Super Fights event in Riyadh. After nearly three years away from the cage due to surgeries, contract disputes, and a boxing stint, Ngannou wasted no time taking on Ferreira, the 2023 PFL champion and former Bellator titleholder.

Despite Ferreira being favoured by many, Ngannou dominated the bout. He showcased his striking skills and wrestling, finishing with brutal ground-and-pound to secure the win. Many observers felt the fight could have been stopped sooner due to the unanswered blows Ngannou landed on the ground.

Watching closely was UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who expressed admiration for Ngannou’s performance. Jones praised Ngannou’s well-rounded MMA skills but hinted at the inevitable rivalry between the two, responding to fans with a veiled warning: “Everyone beats me up until they’re in there with me.”

Ngannou, for his part, has long desired a fight with Jones. During the post-fight press conference, Ngannou reiterated that a matchup with Jones is the one fight he’s been asking for over the last four years. He called it his dream fight, signalling his desire for a potential cross-promotion between PFL and UFC.