PFL: Francis Ngannou, a return that is long overdue

Ngannou absent from the last PFL ranking
Since October 19, 2024 and his victory by KO against the Brazilian Renan Ferreira which consecrated him as world heavyweight champion in Super Fights, 'The Predator' has been conspicuous absent on the scene, even though it continues to occupy a central place in the debates.

The former UFC world champion was no longer associated with a fight in his new organization, the PFL where he is nevertheless a figurehead. Last December, John Martin, president of the PFL announced that there was one last fight left for the Cameroonian in his contract with the competing organization of the UFC: "There is one fight left for Francis to play and I am eager to offer him a truly exceptional confrontation. You will therefore see him fighting in 2026," he predicted, as reported by Boxe Mag.

Remarks that had sparked hope at the end of 2025 regarding an imminent return of Francis Ngannou in the Octagon. However, his absence in the last ranking (released at the end of January) of the PFL dominated by Renan Ferreira at the level of the Heavyweights, has accentuated the questions about a possible departure from the organization.

The PFL boss reassures
While speculation is growing, the boss of the PFL, John Martin, was forced to make an exit to reassure the world of MMA and the fans of Francis Ngannou about the continuity of the Indomitable Lion in his organization. Without however giving a horizon on his return.

“I have nothing to announce at the moment about Francis. If there is a fight that makes sense for Francis and the PFL, we will do it. We are still working on it. When there is something to announce, I will announce it. I know it’s not satisfactory, but that’s where we are right now,"

 Martin said to MMA Junkie.

A revealing exit from the internal dissidences between Francis Ngannou and the PFL leadership, reflected by the absence in 2025 of the Cameroonian at the first event of PFL Africa on the continent, while he is its ambassador. 

“If we find a fight that makes sense to him and to the PFL, I think there’s a real chance he’ll fight. Listen, Francis is a real talent. I know that fans would love to see him fight. We are working on it,"

 added the PFL CEO.


At a time when the future of Francis Ngannou in the PFL is tinged with fog, an hypothesis is increasingly coming up in the debates. A return to boxing for «The Predator» who has already clashed with one of the greatest legends of the discipline, Tyson Fury, even if he lost on points against the British giant, and suffered a terrifying KO against Anthony Joshua.

“He’s 39. I don’t know how long he wants to fight. I don’t know if he still has ambitions in MMA or if he wants to return a little to boxing,"

 John Martin suggested last December on MMA Junkie. An eventuality already mentioned at the beginning of 2025 by his predecessor at the head of the PFL, Donn Davis who commented on possible duels against Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.

“I think he’s open to both options. But even if I knew it, I would not betray his trust regarding his boxing business," the latter had then confided, quoted by Bloody Elbow. The uncertainty about the date of his return to the PFL octagon therefore confirms doubts about his future and reinforces the hypothesis of a return to boxing where he has significant economic opportunities.