Former heavyweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Francis Ngannou, has joined the Professional Fighters League (PFA).
Ngannou, a 36-year-old Cameroonian, left the UFC in January after the parties were unable to agree on a new deal. Since then, he has remained an unsigned free agent.
The move is a significant win for the PFL because Ngannou is one of the top heavyweights in the world.
Ngannou will compete in the PFL’s brand-new Super Fight pay-per-view category.
Fighters in the Super battle category compete in one-off events and receive 50% of the proceeds from their fights, in contrast to their typical seasonal arrangement.
As part of the agreement, Ngannou will also act as chairman of PFL Africa. Ngannou is scheduled to make his debut in mid-2024; an opponent has not yet been named.
“I am very excited about this game-changing partnership,” said Ngannou.
“I believe in the PFL’s “fighter first” culture and global vision including developing the sport in Africa.”
Ngannou has publicly stated his desire to begin a boxing career since being a free agent, with matches against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and former titleholder Deontay Wilder being among his top targets.
Ngannou competed in the UFC for seven years, winning 12 of his 14 fights, and he left as the division’s reigning champion.
