Francis Ngannou's coach talks the "most scary thing" about PFL debut opponent Renan Ferreira

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is set to make his highly anticipated debut in the PFL on Oct. 19 against heavyweight king Renan Ferreira. While many predict a dominant victory for Ngannou, his coach, Erick Nicksick, has warned that Ferreira poses a significant threat.

Nicksick, who has been training Ngannou for several years, has expressed admiration for Ferreira's athleticism and skill. He believes that Ferreira's height and impressive knockout record make him a dangerous opponent.

Speaking to Brett Okamoto for ESPN MMA, coach Nicksick said:

“Especially a guy who’s like 6’9″ and can do a backflip, right? This dude is insanely athletic. And he’s only getting better... That’s the scary thing. You expect to see something out of this athlete, but he’s at a great team and a great camp, and they’re shoring up all those things in the meantime.”

Check out Erick Nicksick's comments below (7:52):

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Daniel Cormier weighs in on Francis Ngannou dealing with his son's death ahead of PFL debut

Daniel Cormier has offered words of support and advice to his fellow former champion, Francis Ngannou, as the latter prepares for his return to MMA after a tragic personal loss.

The heavyweight standout has been dealing with immense grief following the death of his young son, Kobe, who passed away after a medical emergency in Cameroon.

In a recent appearance Pound 4 Pound podcast, Cormier discussed the challenges Ngannou faces as he prepares for his return to the octagon:

"Francis and I had a great conversation... And I told him if there's any time he wants to speak about trying to... because you have to compartmentalize it, it can't be at the forefront of your mind when you're trying to accomplish something great."

Cormier shared his own experiences with grief following the loss of his daughter and how he was able to channel his emotions and focus on his goals. He emphasized that Ngannou will need to find a way to balance his grief with his training and competitive aspirations.

"He's going to have to find a way to channel all of the emotion that he feels, daily, and apply it to his training, his goals, and his expectation of himself" [H/t: BJPenn]

Check out Daniel Cormier's comments on Francis Ngannou below: