PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE SUPER FIGHTS PRESENTS FRANCIS NGANNOU VS RENAN FERREIRA

"BATTLE OF THE GIANTS: BRACE FOR IMPACT"

PPV LIVE SATURDAY OCTOBER 19 ON ESPN+ PPV AND DAZN

Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, Francis "The Predator" Ngannou returns to MMA in the World Title Fight of the year against PFL Heavyweight Champion Renan 'Problema' Ferreira

The greatest women's MMA fighter of all-time Cris 'Cyborg' faces two-time PFL Champion Larissa Pacheco in World Title Fight as co-main event

PFL PPV Super Fight takes place Saturday, October 19 – Live on ESPN+ PPV in the U.S. and DAZN worldwide

NEW YORK, Aug. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BRACE FOR IMPACT, MMA superstar and undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the world, Francis Ngannou (17-3) makes his highly anticipated return to the sport of MMA, as "The Predator" faces the most-feared heavyweight, 6-foot-8 2023 PFL Heavyweight Champion Renan "Problema" Ferreira (13-3, 3 NC) for the newly minted PFL Super Fights Championship Belt.

The co-main event will feature another major world title fight featuring the greatest women's MMA fighter of all-time, Cris "Cyborg" (27-2, 1 NC), whose legacy will be on the line when she squares off against PFL two-division champion Larissa Pacheco (23-4), who looks to prove she is the greatest women's MMA fighter on the planet.

"The Professional Fighters League is excited to announce the highly anticipated return of superstar, undisputed Heavyweight Champion, Francis Ngannou, to MMA in The Battle of the Giants against the most-feared Heavyweight, 6-foot-8 2023 PFL Heavyweight Champion Renan Ferreira in the biggest world title fight of the year," PFL CEO Peter Murray said. "On October 19 live on ESPN+ in the U.S. and DAZN worldwide, MMA fans around the world will witness a true battle of the greatest fighters on the planet competing for the PFL Super Fights Championship Belts."

"Renan is a great fighter; I have been watching him for years," said undisputed Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou. "I have been studying him for years, in fact I've been telling people to watch this guy. He's quite unique, he's athletic, fast, his size doesn't impress me as much as his skill."

BRACE FOR IMPACT. The two world title fights headline PFL's The Battle of the Giants pay-per-view event on Saturday, October 19 live on ESPN+ PPV in the U.S and DAZN worldwide. 

"We are incredibly excited to be broadcasting this blockbuster night of PFL action October 19," said Pete Oliver, CEO Growth Markets DAZN. "Francis Ngannou is one of the biggest names in combat sports and coupled with the man mountain that is Renan Ferreira this fight night is not one to be missed. Catch it all live worldwide on DAZN."

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira - Heavyweight Super Fight

The world has waited over two years for Francis Ngannou to make his return to the sport of mixed martial arts. Since then, a lot has changed in the combat sports landscape, including the promotion for which "The Predator" competes, but what has remained constant is his position as 'the baddest man on the planet." 

Now, following a two-fight game changing run in the boxing ring against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, Professional Fighters League's Francis Ngannou will continue to face elite competition when he meets Renan Ferreira, a 6'8' Brazilian titan who has fought eight times since Ngannou's last MMA bout, and viciously finished his last four opponents, including this past February's 21-second thrashing of longtime Bellator champion Ryan Bader.

This mega-fight between two of the most devastating strikers on the planet is a true test for the returning undisputed Heavyweight World Champion in his historic MMA return. "Problema" will look to impose his will over a household name and show the world who has been the king in Ngannou's absence.

Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco - Women's Featherweight Super Fight

Cris Cyborg is considered the greatest women's athlete in MMA history, fighting and defeating the best Featherweights in the world for almost 20 years. 

Never one to shy away from fighting the best, Larissa Pacheco, a fellow Brazilian is currently on a ten-fight winning streak, with victories against names like Kayla Harrison and former Bellator Champion Julia Budd.

Both of these World Champions have respectively cleaned out their divisions and now will face off for the right to claim to be the best in the world. The Professional Fighters League has the two best athletes on the planet at 145-pounds vying for gold when they compete on October 19.

PFL PPV Super Fight Main Card:

ESPN+ PPV (U.S.) | DAZN (Worldwide)

Saturday, October 19

Heavyweight Main Event: Francis Ngannou (17-3) vs. Renan Ferreira (13-3, 3 NC) 

Women's Featherweight Co-Main Event: Cris "Cyborg" (27-2) vs. Larissa Pacheco (23-4)

ABOUT PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE

Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a global powerhouse in MMA and the fastest-growing sports league worldwide. PFL has five live fight franchises, offering year-round content: PFL League Season, PFL PPV Super Fights, PFL Challenger Series, PFL International Leagues, and Bellator. Founded in 2018, PFL is backed by major blue-chip investors including SURJ, Ares, Knighthead, Luxor Capital, Waverley Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners. MMA is the growth sports business of this decade, with 650 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demographic, and true global revenue streams.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world's leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

About ESPN+ 

ESPN+ is the No. 1 sports streaming platform, serving fans in the U.S. with exclusive access to more than 32,000 live sports events each year, an unmatched library of on-demand replays and acclaimed original content, and premium written articles by the top reporters and analysts from ESPN.com. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $10.99 a month (or $109.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or in the ESPN App on mobile and connected devices. For more visit the ESPN+ Press Kit.

About DAZN

DAZN is the home of European football, women's football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL (excl. USA). DAZN is building the ultimate sports entertainment platform, based on premium sports rights, world-leading tech, and multi-platform distribution. DAZN believes that fans from across the globe should be able to watch, read, bet, play, share, socialise, buy tickets and merchandise, all in one place, with one account, one wallet and on one app.  

For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit dazngroup.com.

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SOURCE Professional Fighters League (PFL)