PFL CEO: All Options on the Table for Francis Ngannou

The Professional Fighters League has business to conduct beyond the introduction of its new World Tournament format in 2025. Francis Ngannou, the most important fighter on the company’s roster, could take his combat sports career in a variety of directions, with a host of options available to him.

Ngannou ranks as the top attraction for the PFL and also serves as the chairman of PFL Africa, enhancing his long-term importance to the organization. With the PFL looking to find success and build new stars through its international leagues across the globe, Ngannou will have a significant impact—inside and outside the cage. “The Predator” made his long-awaited promotional debut at PFL “Battle of the Giants,” where he punched out Renan Ferreira in the first round of their Oct. 19 pay-per-view headliner. It afforded Ferreira, a rising star within the company, the opportunity to challenge one of the biggest names in the sport and drew plenty of attention.

PFL CEO Peter Murray plans to allow Ngannou to chart his own course.

“Francis is going to continue to be active in combat sports,” Murray said. “Talking to him recently, boxing is in the mix [and] MMA is in the mix with the PFL, [along with his] PFL Africa [duties].”

While options for Ngannou’s next fight are still being explored, Murray pointed to his potential impact with PFL Africa—a largely untapped market for mixed martial arts.

“We were just [in a meeting] with Francis earlier in the week going through the roster,” Murray said. “He’s bringing a big point of view to who gets in the league and why. The bar is pretty high. There’s amazing talent across the continent. Francis gets to go back and develop that next generation of athletes from Africa who don’t have to leave the continent like he and many other athletes did to make a professional career and a living. We think it’s going to be really special, as does Francis.”

Following his release from the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2022, Ngannou signed a landmark deal with the PFL as a fighter and executive. His contract not only benefits Ngannou but whatever opponents he faces. Understanding the weight the Cameroon native carries in the sport, the PFL also provided him with the opportunity to have a lasting impact through its reach around the world.

Outside of the cage, the PFL allowed Ngannou to pursue boxing matches against two of the biggest names in the sport: Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Despite losing to both, Ngannou managed to raise his stock and boost his stardom—especially against Fury. He knocked down the 6-foot-9 Englishman before losing a contentious 10-round split decision.