Francis
Ngannou challenged Renan
Ferreira for the Super Fight heavyweight title in the main
event at „Battle of the Giants: Brace for Impact“ on Saturday at the
Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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“The Predator” displayed a well-rounded skillset, taking Ferreira
to the ground early and surviving a triangle attempt before earning
a victory via ground-and-pound in the first round. The former
UFC champ then broke down in tears inside the cage while
dedicating his win to his late son Kobe, who
died earlier this year at 15 months old.
“I can’t think of anything than my son Kobe. I wanted to fight for
him… I hope they can remember his name, because without Kobe we
wouldn’t be here tonight. I wouldn’t have fight,” Ngannou said.
“In combat sports all depends on me, how I feel. How I deal with
life right now. But otherwise… I always thought I still have a lot
to give to combat sports. And I hope I keep thinking that way, I
keep that thought alive… I just want to say, please remember my son
Kobe. I dedicate this to him. This is for Kobe.”
Ngannou exited the UFC in January 2023 following a lengthy contract
dispute. While he signed with the
PFL soon after, his title win over Ferreira marked his debut in
the promotion. The Cameroonian-born Frenchman is currently on a
seven-fight winning streak overall against top tier competition
that includes six finishes.