Francis Ngannou’s head coach Eric Nicksick knew the previous UFC heavyweight champion would sometime return to MMA regardless of the profitable alternatives in boxing.
PFL recently announced Ngannou’s promotional debut — and first MMA combat since defending the UFC heavyweight title in opposition to Ciryl Gane in January 2022 — takes place Oct. 19 at PFL’s superfight pay-per-view occasion in opposition to Renan Ferreira in a five-round fundamental occasion.
Following big-money boxing matches in opposition to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, in addition to unfortunate death of Ngannou’s son Kobe, Nicksick felt the celebs aligned for a return to the game that put him on the map as MMA’s lineal heavyweight champion.
“I’m excited for him,” Nicksick advised MMA Combating. “Truthfully, I believe for me as a coach, simply making an attempt to get him via the lack of his son was crucial factor, and get him again within the fitness center, and get him again across the fellas and again to coaching. With that being mentioned, that course of, I believe, has led him to really feel comfy in taking this combat, getting again within the cage, after which doing his PFL obligations.
“So in the beginning, man, I believe he was simply getting via that tough half and that tough stretch, which I don’t assume he’s essentially via. I believe he’s simply having the ability to occupy his thoughts and his time with MMA, and fortunately, he’s keen [and] wanting to come back again and combat.”
Ngannou returns to MMA for the primary time since making the choice to go away UFC as heavyweight champion originally of 2023, which led to him signing an enormous free agent take care of PFL. After switching promotions, Ngannou dropped a cut up choice in a surprising efficiency in opposition to Fury in boxing earlier than getting knocked out by Joshua.
There are nonetheless big-money fights within the squared circle Ngannou may seemingly get proper now, however returning to MMA — and dwelling as much as his phrase as a PFL fighter — meant lots to Ngannou.
“I didn’t [think his MMA career was done] due to the conversations that we’ve,” Nicksick mentioned. “I believe simply due to his aggressive nature and the legacy that he needs to go away behind in the case of MMA, the issues that we spoke about, I positively felt like he was going to come back again and combat. Then, there’s simply plenty of the freedoms that PFL has given him, I believe that he actually enjoys and desires to assist construct this promotion.
“So if he’s the bell cow in the case of PFL, I believe he sort of needs to hold that function and assist make this group higher. I actually assume that he’s fallen in love with MMA in a method once we have been combating Ciryl Gane earlier than the knee damage, that he was simply scratching the floor of his precise athletic potential in the case of MMA. That’s one thing he’s advised me previously. So understanding the competitor that he’s, I [always felt] he’s positively going to combat once more in MMA.”
Ferreira will get the largest combat of his profession coming off a fast knockout of former two-division Bellator champion Ryan Bader at PFL vs. Bellator in February. “Problema” enters the bout with 4 straight finishes, totaling simply over 10 minutes of mixed motion.
What Ferreira carries in dimension and stature, he lacks in high-level competitors and big-fight expertise in comparison with Ngannou. Whereas Nicksick is actually conscious of that huge benefit, it doesn’t imply they’ll overlook any individual as harmful as Ferreira.
“Confidence on this sport is one thing that may take you excessive greater than talent at occasions,” Nicksick mentioned of Ferreira. “Simply believing in your talent set and successful the best way that he has been successful, reeling off some good wins, heading right into a Francis Ngannou combat, I believe that Renan has this confidence that he can beat anyone — and he ought to. He’s superb and he’s a man that Francis and I’ve been watching even earlier than he was within the PFL, like, ‘Oh man, this man is nice.’
“So I believe simply holding Francis targeted on the duty at hand [is key], and understanding this man is harmful all over the place, however I really feel like we’ve the flexibility to sort of neutralize a few of these issues that he does effectively, and exit and make it a brief evening.”
If Ngannou continues his path of destruction in MMA, the choices might be aplenty for “The Predator.” Is it boxing, MMA, or maybe, rising fight sports activities promoter Turki Alalshikh pulling a magic rabbit of his hat?
“Due to the freedoms that he has, he can at all times revisit boxing if there’s a reputation that pops up,” Nicksick mentioned. “That’s one of the best half concerning the scenario that he’s in — he’s a contractor. He goes out to the best bidder. He can resolve what he needs to do at any time when he needs to do it.
“We now have our sights on Oct. 19. No matter place or no matter scenario arises by that point — hell, you by no means know, Turki would possibly are available in and get UFC to get him to combat Jon Jones. You by no means freaking know with this sport what comes about. All choices are on the desk, man. We’ll determine that out as soon as we deal with this enterprise Oct. 19.”
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