https://www.mmanews.com/news/pfl-executive-sheds-light-agreement-francis-ngannou-mma-return
It seems that Ngannou’s SmartCage debut isn’t guaranteed next.
The talk of the combat sports town remains the recent exploits of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who made a splash in a different fighting realm this past weekend.
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Ngannou shared the ring with WBC titleholder Tyson Fury in what marked his long-awaited debut as a professional pugilist. Although “The Gypsy King” was widely expected to run through “The Predator,” that was far from the case come fight night.
From knocking down Fury in round three to going the 10-frame distance, Ngannou shocked the world on October 28. In fact, many believe that the Cameroonian powerhouse deserved the decision win, which ultimately fell the way of the British pro.
Despite the defeat, however, Ngannou’s stock has still risen to exponential levels, and the hype surrounding his next career step couldn’t be much higher.
And perhaps justifying his decision to depart the UFC and sign with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), Ngannou has unwavering support from his new promotion when it comes to his decision.
Prior to his showdown with Fury in the Middle East, Ngannou was expected to follow up his boxing debut with a return to mixed martial arts and a first appearance inside the SmartCage.
During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, however, PFL founder Donn Davis acknowledged that an immediate sophomore outing in the ring is on the cards given Ngannou’s success last Saturday.
“We wanted the best for him, we would support that, and we think the best will work out for PFL because of that,” Davis said. "No idea (if Ngannou’s next fight will be in the PFL). Francis is making plans… We know what he’s working on, and I think there is a path that could go one of two ways. I think there’s a boxing path for him next, and I think there’s a mixed fight for him next that will look a little different. It might be under mixed rules.
“But I think the opponents in pure MMA are not that interesting right now,” Davis continued. “We’re just like the fans, we’re just like the fighters. We’re not like other companies, ‘Oh, let’s just do it because they’re our guys.’ There’s only one guy in MMA right now who’s interesting for Francis Ngannou: Jon Jones… We’re realists. So what is the best fight for our fighter, Francis Ngannou, his career, and fighting fans? That’s the fight we should make, and that’s the fight we’re going to be partners to make.”
Davis went on to describe the agreement that the PFL has with Ngannou regarding an appearance in the SmartCage next year, noting that “The Predator” will debut in the organization in either March or December depending on his own preference.
“Will he fight in MMA in 2024? Yes, he will. Will that be his next fight? I don’t know,” Davis stated. “Boxing became a more serious path for him… Now, he’s got two great options. We support either of the two. We always slated for him to have one MMA fight for him in 2024, and we had contingencies. March, December. Will he fight next year? Yes. Which fight will it be? I don’t know. We’ll partner with Francis and let that be his call.”
Among the discussed options currently making headlines is some sort of mixed-rules fight with heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder.
With Davis admitting that the pool of potential MMA opponents for Ngannou is slim, an adjusted ruleset for a collision with “The Bronze Bomber,” who has reportedly been training in MMA, could be the answer.