Francis Ngannou says MMA return on track for October

Francis Ngannou says that he is readying himself for a return to the cage.

The former UFC heavyweight champion, who has more recently competed in boxing’s heavyweight fold, told Joe Rogan during a lengthy discussion on his podcast that he is in line to make his PFL debut in October — a fight which would come around 2.5 years since his last outing in mixed martial arts.

Since then, Ngannou has fought two of this generation’s finest boxing ‘big men’ in Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua; coming close to defeating the former before suffering a second-round knockout to the latter.

But with the 6’8″ Renan Ferreira awaiting him in the PFL, Ngannous says that time is nearing for him to return to the sport in which he made his name.

“I think Renan Ferreira is the guy,” Ngannou told Rogan, as noted by MMA Fighting. “I’ve been telling people about this guy for almost two years. Very athletic. Fast hands, knees, very athletic. I think it’s going to be him.

“That’s what the PFL is working on. October, sometime. They’re working on October. It’s not finalized but they were talking about October 19.”

The bout would be Ngannou’s first with the PFL since signing a big money deal with the promotion upon the expiration of his UFC contract, which saw him exit the organisation as its world champion.

“I will say MMA is next,” Ngannou vowed. “Because I was supposed to fight, it’s been a little over a year now since the PFL agreement, and I was supposed to have a fight within a year so now we’re getting a little out of the timeline.”

Ngannou will be 38 by the time October rolls around and he admits that his time in the spotlight is closing — but adds that he still has a lot to achieve in both boxing and MMA.

“I want to leave the sport before the sport leaves me,” he said. “I’m thinking like 41 … Maybe in my 40s, I still feel like I have it. If I feel like at 41, I feel like I have it … take one at a time. What I really don’t want to do is wake up and go to the gym like I’m forced. If I feel like I have it or I’m excited, oh today’s a sparring day, I’m going to get there whether I beat somebody up or they’re going to beat me up. Either way, I’m excited.

“I think I still have a couple [of boxing bouts] in me,” Ngannou added. “A couple of boxing fights. I have a couple of MMA fights.”