Ngannou's Tearful Triumph Marks Emphatic PFL Debut in Saudi Arabia

Francis Ngannou made an unforgettable debut in the Professional Fighters League (PFL) on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, delivering a performance that was as emotional as it was dominant. In the main event titled ‘Battle of the Giants,’ Ngannou knocked out Brazil’s Renan Ferreira in the first round to claim the inaugural PFL Super Fights heavyweight championship.

Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, hadn’t stepped into an MMA cage since January 2022, opting for high-profile boxing bouts in the interim against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. However, in his PFL debut, he left no room for doubt about his dominance in the sport. Ngannou quickly took Ferreira down and unleashed a barrage of powerful left hands, forcing the referee to stop the fight at 3:32 in the first round. It was a swift and brutal victory for Ngannou, sending a clear message to the MMA world that he is still a force to be reckoned with.

However, the night carried a heavy emotional weight for the 38-year-old fighter. This was his first fight since the tragic passing of his 15-month-old son, Kobe, in April. In a heart-wrenching moment following his victory, a tearful Ngannou dedicated his win to Kobe, explaining that the memory of his son was the driving force behind his return to the cage.

"I can't think about anything other than my son Kobe," Ngannou said. "I only took this fight because of him and I'm done. I hope they can remember his name because, without Kobe, we wouldn't be here tonight and I wouldn't have fought.”

Despite the overwhelming grief, Ngannou pushed through a difficult training camp to make this moment possible, giving everything he had in memory of his late son. "It has been tough," he said. "Not only the training camp but the past few days have been full of emotion. I tried to be strong and give everything to keep moving but it’s hard.”

The emotional gravity of Ngannou's win was complemented by a stacked card that saw several other significant results. In the co-main event, Cris Cyborg added to her legendary career, defeating Larissa Pacheco by decision to claim the PFL Super Fights women’s featherweight title.

Meanwhile, Johnny Eblen retained his Bellator middleweight championship with a victory over Birmingham’s Fabian Edwards. Featherweight Zafar Mohsen emerged victorious against Husein Kadimagomaev, and Belfast lightweight Paul Hughes edged out a split decision win over AJ McKee in what many consider the biggest victory of his career.

On the preliminary card, Raufeon Stots, Makkasharip Zaynukov, Ibragim Ibragimov, and Taha Bendaoud all secured victories, rounding out a memorable night of fights in Riyadh.

Ngannou’s return to MMA was highly anticipated, and his victory over Ferreira not only cemented his position in the PFL but also honored the memory of his son, making the win all the more poignant. As he celebrated his victory, the world watched a champion not only in sport but in life, a man fighting through his deepest pain to honor the memory of his child.