Saturday will be the biggest night in PFL history when former UFC champion Francis Ngannou takes on PFL's 2023 heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira at the Battle of the Giants.
After a brief hiatus in the boxing ring, Ngannou will be making his highly anticipated return to MMA and his Proffesional Fighters League debut.
Ferreira hasn't fought since he appeared at the PFL vs. Bellator super fight card where he defeated Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader.
Here's what each man needs to do in the hopes of getting their hand raised on Saturday night.
Francis Ngannou's keys to victory
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Boxing
Ngannou is already known for his one-punch power but he should use some of the boxing skills he honed when fighting Tyson Fury and out-box Ferreira. If he can get Ferreira tired and on the defense, he'll find the one shot to flatten him.
Channel his motivation
Ngannou spoke at length about his desire to make this fight a tribute to his son. If he can keep Kobe in his thoughts, he could edge Ferreira just enough to make his son proud. The mind is one of the most powerful tools in a fight and should not be underestimated.
Take him to deep water
We all expect this fight to end fairly quickly but if that doesn't happen, Ngannou should capitalize on the fact that Ferreira hasn't had to go into the championship rounds. He's never gone past a third round and hasn't had his gas tank tested. This could be an edge for Ngannou who went five rounds with Stipe Miocic in 2018.
| Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira | Heavyweight world title |
| Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco | Women's featherweight world title |
| Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards | Bellator middleweight world title |
| Husein Kadimagomaev vs. Zafar Mohsen | Featherweight |
| AJ McKee vs. Paul Hughes | Lightweight |
| Raufeon Stots vs. Marcos Breno | Bantamweight |
| Makkasharip Zaynukov vs. Dedrek Sanders | Lightweight |
| Ibragim Ibragimov vs. Nacho Campos | Featherweight |
| Mostafa Rashed Nada vs. Ahmed Sami | Middleweight |
| Tariq Ismail vs. Taha Bendaoud | Featherweight |
Renan Ferreira's keys to victory
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Neutralize
Ngannou is good everywhere, but Ferreira can neutralize Ngannou by meeting his intensity, power, and accuracy. We'll be in for a long night if Ferreira can play Ngannou's game.
Kicks
Ferreira's kicks might be his biggest asset in this fight. His reach will be longer than Ngannou's due to his height and he should capitalize on keeping Ngannou at bay with kicks to the legs, body, and, if given the right chance, head. I could see this ending with a head-kick knockout if Ferreira plays his cards right.
Let it all go
If Ferreira can flurry early he might just get Ngannou on the defense and land that one-punch KO he's known for. This could become a "who lands first" affair so starting first and fast could be key in this fight.
Watch Ngannou vs. Ferreira on DAZN
Watch Francis Ngannou's return to the cage as he faces Renan Ferreira in the PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants this Saturday on DAZN Pay-Per-View.
The card also features Cris Cyborg against Larissa Pacheco for the women's featherweight world title.
The PPV is priced at £19.99 for UK viewers to watch on any device, including Smart TV's, game consoles, phones, tablets and PC's.
To purchase and find the prices in your region click here.
Purchasing the PPV includes a seven-day free trial of all of DAZN's programming across a range of sports.
More PFL
- Ngannou ready for PFL debut after years away from MMA
- Bellator middleweight world title rematch added to 'Battle of the Giants'
- PFL alternative viewing experience for Battle of the Giants with DAZN
- Jake Paul talks Jon Jones fighting the winner of Ngannou vs. Ferreira
- PFL announces launch of PFL Africa