Renan Ferreira has seemingly secured his spot as the primary opponent for Francis Ngannou in Skilled Fighters League (PFL).
Ngannou, 37, has shifted his focus to boxing since his final look in a combined martial arts (MMA) cage in January 2022. A member of PFL’s roster, Ngannou has been granted the luxurious of competing as he sees slot in boxing, which he’ll do for the second time when he collides with Anthony Joshua in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this weekend (Sat., March 9, 2024).
2024 is predicted to be the yr Ngannou returns to MMA, presumably for a showdown with the latest PFL Heavyweight titleholder, Ferreira, after the Joshua match. Till then, Ferreira plans to observe within the footsteps of Final Combating Championship (UFC) Light-weight contender, Michael Chandler, who has patiently benched himself with hopes of touchdown his massive cash battle in opposition to Conor McGregor.
“In the intervening time, we are going to sit and we are going to wait,” Ferreira instructed MMA Fighting. “I’ll get some relaxation. I’ve been preventing in [PFL tournaments] for 3 years and it’s very exhausting. I fought in November and had no relaxation, I needed to battle in February already, so my physique is drained now. I would like a while to recuperate bodily and return to coaching, so I’ll be ready for this battle, fairly anxiously. I’m very completely happy for this chance, and I hope it occurs quickly.”
Ferreira, 34, can’t be blamed for wanting to take a seat and look forward to an anticipated $2 million payday in opposition to Ngannou. The Brazilian big already earned his first $1 million after profitable the 2023 PFL Heavyweight season and absolutely obtained a reasonably penny in his most up-to-date 21-second knockout of Bellator champion, Ryan Bader (watch highlights). The latter earned him the hopeful alternative in opposition to Ngannou.
Oddly sufficient, Ngannou was in attendance for the Ferreira vs. Bader bout however by no means squared off with Ferreira afterward. “La Problema” didn’t anticipated for the missed alternative on the pair’s first visible subsequent to one another. Finally, he simply needs to compete in opposition to “The Predator” as quickly as attainable.
“It shocked me a bit bit,” Ferreira mentioned. “I believed he was going to go up there, that we’d do the faceoff. I noticed he had an uncomfortable smile on his face. I feel he felt that is for actual, that this can be a massive drawback for him. There’s a man coming and he’s not playing around, he’s hungry for the victory.
“[Ngannou] is on this boxing journey that’s opening many doorways and I’ve enormous respect for him, however he has a contract with PFL,” he concluded. “Like I mentioned, I’m able to field him as effectively, I’m able to battle him in MMA. Wherever they need, I’ll be prepared.”
