Renan Ferreira to sit out 2024 PFL season to wait for Francis Ngannou, vows to be ‘a big problem for him’

Renan Ferreira doesn’t plan on combating till he faces Francis Ngannou.

The 2023 PFL heavyweight champion walked by means of Ryan Bader in the principle occasion of PFL vs. Bellator earlier this month in Saudi Arabia, which was promoted by PFL as a bout to find out who will welcome former UFC champion Ngannou to the corporate.

Ferreira instructed MMA Combating that he won’t enter the 2024 PFL season and can as a substitute choose to attend for Ngannou to renew his MMA profession first. “The Predator” shocked the world in 2023 with a break up choice defeat to Tyson Fury in boxing, and now faces Anthony Joshua on Might 8. Ngannou’s return to MMA could possibly be delayed once more relying on what occurs towards Joshua, in addition to the results of Fury’s upcoming title conflict with Oleksandr Usyk on Might 18.

“In the intervening time, we are going to sit and we are going to wait,” Ferreira mentioned. “I’ll get some relaxation. I’ve been combating in [PFL tournaments] for 3 years and it’s very exhausting. I fought in November and had no relaxation, I needed to battle in February already, so my physique is drained now. I would like a while to get better bodily and return to coaching, so I’ll be ready for this battle, fairly anxiously. I’m very pleased for this chance, and I hope it occurs quickly.”

Ferreira mentioned he’s assured Ngannou will compete underneath the PFL umbrella ultimately for the reason that Cameroonian champion is underneath contract with the promotion and PFL already marketed that the winner of Ferreira vs. Bader will get Ngannou subsequent.

Ferreira admits, nevertheless, that he was stunned to see Ngannou stroll away from the Kingdom Enviornment in Riyadh with out doing an in-cage faceoff to advertise a future bout.

“It stunned me a little bit bit,” Ferreira mentioned. “I assumed he was going to go up there, that we’d do the faceoff. I noticed he had an uncomfortable smile on his face. I feel he felt that is for actual, that it is a massive downside for him. There’s a man coming and he’s not playing around, he’s hungry for the victory.

“[Ngannou] is on this boxing journey that’s opening many doorways and I’ve big respect for him, however he has a contract with PFL. Like I mentioned, I’m able to field him as effectively, I’m able to battle him in MMA. Wherever they need, I’ll be prepared.”

Ferreira is 13-3 with a trio of no-contests in MMA, and has stopped his opponents in 11 of his skilled wins. Ferreira completed 4 rivals in lower than a minute since becoming a member of PFL, and claimed the 2023 heavyweight championship with a brutal knockout of Denis Goltsov.

Ngannou hasn’t competed in MMA since a choice victory over Ciryl Gane to defend his UFC heavyweight title in January 2022, which capped off an intense six-fight win UFC streak earlier than he made historical past by departing the promotion as champion. “The Predator” knocked out his prior 5 opponents, from former UFC champions in Stipe Miocic, Cain Velasquez, and Junior dos Santos, to contenders in Curtis Blaydes and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

“It was nice motivation for me to have Francis Ngannou watching me there,” Ferreira mentioned. “He’s seen me battle earlier than and has spoken vastly about me, and that was further motivation. This battle pursuits me so much. To battle a champion like him, a very powerful man, it’s a battle the entire world needs to see. I used to be pleased to have him there, and I didn’t really feel any stress. To have Mike Tyson there, nice names like Jon Jones, those who have made historical past.”