'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On October 19, 2024, Francis Ngannou returned to the MMA cage for the first time in over two years. Ngannou, who hadn’t fought after defending his UFC heavyweight championship against Ciryl Gane, was tasked with fighting Renan Ferreira for the PFL Super Fights heavyweight title in Saudi Arabia.
Heading into the fight, there were doubts about how he'd fare, given he was knocked out for the very first time by Anthony Joshua during their boxing match earlier this year. Also, the Cameroonian was dealing with the tragedy of losing his 15-month-old son, Kobe.
However, on October 19th, Ngannou managed to silence his critics as he put up a dominant performance against Ferreria. Not only did he win this fight in Round 1, he also surprised everyone with his grappling as he timed a beautiful reactive takedown on Ferreira and landed some vicious strikes to finish this fight.
Trending
Does this victory and becoming the PFL Super Fights heavyweight champion cement Francis Ngannou as the best combat sports athlete currently? Maybe not. But let's look at some reasons that might paint him as the best.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
3. Francis Ngannou became a champion in two organizations
It's important to note that when Francis Ngannou left the UFC, he was still the reigning heavyweight champion. While he only defended his title once, in his rise to the top, he bested every top heavyweight the Dana White-led promotion had to offer.
It's worth noting that Ngannou has not lost a fight since 2018, and in his rise to the top, he knocked out names like Cain Velasquez, Junior Dos Santos, and Stipe Miocic.
This dominance, mixed with his latest achievements in the PFL, is enough to show that regardless of the environment he is in, Ngannou can come out on top. While he might not face the same level of competition in PFL as he would in the UFC, it's still another organization, and he already faced some of the best of the UFC.
2. Francis Ngannou has been successful in two disciplines
While Francis Ngannou has been dominant in MMA, he also was successful in his outing as a boxer. Now, you might wonder, how can a man with an 0-2 record be considered successful? Well, unlike boxers who would take a certain route to the top, Ngannou faced the very best in his two fights.
In his very first match, he faced Tyson Fury, who many believe he beat, except for the judges who scored it for Fury. Ngannou's second fight came against Anthony Joshua, who did knock out the former UFC champion, but his efforts were still worth noting.
1. Francis Ngannou's game has evolved
Earlier, when people thought about Francis Ngannou, they thought about his brutal power. However, in his recent PFL fight, Ngannou surprised the world of MMA when he took down Renan Ferreira and displayed a good ground game from the top.
What was impressive about the takedown was the fact that it was a reactive takedown, and Ngannou managed to time it with perfection. While the former UFC champion might not be the best wrestler in the heavyweight division, this addition to his game makes him even more dangerous.
Every time an opponent now faces 'The Predator', they will not only be worried about his vicious right hand, but they will also have to worry about him taking them down and landing brutal ground and pound.
