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Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has signed a deal with the American mixed martial arts league, Professional Fighters League. The 36-year-old fighter, Ngannou is expected to make his PFL debut in a pay-per-view event in 2024, however, his opponent is yet to be announced. Ngannou fought out his UFC contract in 2022 and became one of the biggest free agents in MMA history.
The Cameron-born fighter, who is popularly known as 'The Predator', holds the record for being the first African heavyweight world champion in UFC history and also holds the world record for the hardest punch. Francis Ngannou created the world record for the hardest punch ever measured at the UFC Performance Institute in 2017 when his punch recorded 129,161 units, which surpassed the previous record held by kickboxer Tyrone Spong.
In the official statement, PFL CEO Peter Murray said, "The PFL is excited to announce its groundbreaking strategic partnership with Francis Ngannou, the greatest heavyweight fighter in the world." He added, "Ngannou will anchor the NFL's star-studded PPV Super Fight Division, serve on PFL's Global Athlete Advisory Board, and will be a chairman and equity owner in PFL Africa."
Ngannou was born in Cameroon and has been fighting out of Las Vegas. The PFL is set to launch multiple leagues across different regions in the coming years. Apart from that, the PFL Africa is set to be launched in 2025.
Speaking of his partnership with PFL, Ngannou will fight exclusively in the MMA league for the new division, PPV Super Fight Division, where he will join combat sports superstars Jake Paul and Kayla Harrison. DAZN is the partner of the aforementioned division and will distribute its events in Europe and other international markets on its PPV Platform.
