EXPLAINER

Full fight details as Cameroon's Ngannou returns to MMA to face Brazil's Ferreira for the PFL heavyweight title.

Cameroonian fighter Francis Ngannou will make his long-awaited return to the mixed martial arts (MMA) scene to challenge Professional Fighters League (PFL) heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira of Brazil.

Here's everything you need to know about fight night:

When will the fight between Ngannou and Ferreira take place?

The fight is scheduled for Saturday, October 19th.

When does the Ngannou-Ferreira ring hike take place?

Ngannou and Ferreira will begin their ring walks for the main event at 11:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. GMT).

Where will the fight between Ngannou and Ferreira take place?

The fight will take place at Mayadeen, a venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

What are Ngannou and Ferreira fighting for?

The PFL Super Fights heavyweight championship belt.

Where and how can I watch the fight between Ngannou and Ferreira live?

Al Jazeera will broadcast live text and photos of the fight from 3pm GMT.

The fight will be streamed and broadcast live on multiple regional platforms that charge pay-per-view fees.

How long will the MMA fight last?

MMA fights vary in the number of rounds and the duration of each round, with title fights generally being the longest. In this case, the fight is divided into five rounds of five minutes each. The total time, if all five rounds are completed, is 25 minutes.

What is the name of the MMA fighting ring for Ngannou vs. Perreira?

The custom cage for this fight will be called the PFL SmartCage.

Who is Francis Ngannou?

The 38-year-old fighter began his career in France in 2013 before moving to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) two years later, becoming the promotion's heavyweight champion in March 2021. He retained the title until 2023, when he left the promotion.

Ngannou signed with the PFL in May 2023, and the promotion agreed to let him pursue his boxing ambitions, which led to him fighting Tyson Fury on October 28, 2023 in Riyadh and Anthony Joshua on March 8, 2024, also in Riyadh, competed.

The Cameroonian's journey began at the age of 12 when he worked in a sandstone quarry. In his mid-20s, he embarked on a long and life-threatening journey from Cameroon to France – a journey he once described as “hell.”

Ngannou crossed the Sahara and spent a year in Morocco before entering Spain via the Mediterranean. When he reached Spain, he was arrested for illegal entry and spent two months in detention before regaining his freedom and eventually making it to France.

In Paris he was homeless until he found a gym where he could sleep and start training as a fighter.

Who is Renan Ferreira?

The Brazilian mixed martial arts fighter began his career in the United States in 2013 and joined the PFL in 2023.

The 34-year-old won the PFL heavyweight title against Denis Goltsov, whom he defeated by total knockout in the second round.

Ferreira, nicknamed “Problemo,” also is coming off a win over Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader in a three-round non-title crossover bout on Feb. 24.

What is Ngannou’s MMA fight record?

• Fights: 20
• Wins: 17
• Losses: 3
• By Knockout: 12 wins, 0 defeats
• By submission: 4 wins, 0 defeats
• By resolution: 1 win, 3 defeats
• By disqualification: 0 wins, 1 loss

What is Ferreira's MMA fight record?

• Fights: 19
• Wins: 13
• Losses: 3
• By Knockout: 11 wins, 1 loss
• By submission: 1 win, 1 loss
• By resolution: 1 win, 0 defeats
• By disqualification: 0 wins, 1 loss

What did Ngannou say about the fight?

• On Ferreira: “Renan is at the top (of MMA fighters), but my biggest opponent my whole life has been me. “I'll be picking him up on Saturday night, so he should be ready.”
• What to expect from the fight: “This is an MMA fight, so everything will be on display. We have everything prepared and everything is on display. Ferreira sets some things up because he’s a jiu-jitsu black belt and he doesn’t undermine my punching power.”
• Plans for a knockout win: “I will fight strategically and based on how the fight presents itself. In my career I tried to get a knockout, but it didn't work out for me. The moments when I scored a knockout were not my intention. I know I have 25 minutes, so in those 25 minutes I’m going to set my game plan and win the fight.”

What did Ferreira say about the fight?

• On Ngannou: “We both came from humble backgrounds. We've had an incredible career to get to where we are now. It’s a great honor to fight one of the strongest men in the world.”
• What to Expect: “We are both absolute fighters. We can also strike and wrestle. I’m ready to fight wherever the fight goes.”

What are the events leading up to the fight?

The main fight will be preceded by four events:

• Women’s Featherweight: Cris “Cyborg” vs. Larissa Pacheco
• Bellator middleweight: Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards
• Featherweight: Husein Kadimagomaev vs. Zafar Mohsen
• Lightweight: AJ McKee vs. Paul Hughes

Who is on the undercards?

Five undercard bouts will take place leading up to the main event in Riyadh:

• Bantamweight: Raufeon Stots vs. Marcos Breno
• Lightweight: Makkasharip Zaynukov vs. Dedrek Sanders
• Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov vs. Nacho Campos
• Middleweight: Mostafa Nada vs. Ahmed Sami
• Featherweight: Youssef Al Housani vs. Taha Bendaoud

Did Ngannou give up boxing for MMA?

No. The fighter has been pursuing both since leaving the UFC in early 2023.