PFL: Ngannou vs. Ferreira roundtable: Is that this a very powerful battle in PFL historical past?

Francis Ngannou comes dwelling this Saturday.

OK, technically he’s truly coming into new stomping grounds as he makes his long-awaited league debut at PFL: Ngannou vs. Ferreira a.ok.a. “Battle of the Giants” in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However he’s returning to the ruleset underneath which he constructed his popularity as he competes in MMA for the primary time since January 2022, and the primary time since parting methods with the UFC the next yr.

Ngannou remains to be the lineal heavyweight champion having by no means misplaced his belt contained in the octagon, so the stakes are excessive as he takes on 2023 PFL event champion Renan Ferreira. A classic efficiency by “The Predator” might inject new life into the league, whereas the slightest slip-up might invite a recent wave of criticism for MMA’s self-proclaimed co-leader.

MMA Combating’s Jed Meshew, Damon Martin, and Alexander Okay. Lee bought collectively to debate the ramifications of the primary occasion, plus Cris Cyborg making a return of her personal towards Larissa Pacheco, and else to observe for this Saturday.

1. What does it imply for Francis Ngannou (and the PFL) if he loses?

Meshew: I’m actually undecided. For both.

On the one hand, Francis shedding in his first battle with the promotion is catastrophic for PFL. It mortgaged the farm to land Ngannou and to date he’s spent all of his time boxing. If his first foray into the SmartCage is a loss? Nicely, that’s clearly lower than best for Donn Davis and firm. And for Ngannou, it might be his third loss in a row and doubtless the tip of his days as a serious draw, to the extent that may be a factor.

However, does it actually matter for both of them? Ngannou is taking part in with home cash given how a lot he’s made already from his boxing endeavors. And as for the PFL, it actually isn’t selling this like Ngannou shedding could be an enormous deal.

For Ngannou’s debut, I anticipated a number of the promotion would focus on the very best factor the corporate has going for it: that is the official lineal heavyweight champion of the world, the baddest man on the planet. Not because the days of PRIDE has a non-UFC promotion been capable of make that declare and as an alternative PFL goes with a generic rebrand of Ngannou vs. Anthony Joshua and “Knockout Chaos.” An Ngannou loss is much less seismic for it promotionally, and perhaps that’s the thought. Maybe PFL doesn’t belief a 38-year-old fighter who hasn’t competed within the sport in practically three years and is coming off a brutal knockout loss.

And actually, I don’t blame them.

Martin: Probably the tip?

To not appear overdramatic however that’s a minimum of a considerably life like risk for Ngannou if he will get nuked by Renan Ferreira, who’s a stable prospect however nowhere close to the caliber of opponent “The Predator” has confronted and defeated up to now. At 38, Ngannou nonetheless has loads of tread left on the tires for a heavyweight as a result of fighters in that division don’t appear to peak till their mid-30s, nevertheless it’s unimaginable to disregard that he simply scored back-to-back paydays in boxing and a devastating loss would successfully put him in limbo with out a number of nice choices awaiting him sooner or later. For all of the fighters the PFL has helped make millionaires over the previous few years, not many have turn into family names and even fewer have damaged by way of the stranglehold that the UFC maintains excessive 15 rankings.

Certain, Ngannou might lose after which bounce again towards the Valentin Moldavskys and Tim Johnsons of the world—each of whom battle within the PFL—however is that going to justify the large funding the PFL made to signal him away from the UFC? A greater query may be are individuals going to be keen to place down $50 to observe any of these fights?

Does the PFL simply crash and burn if Ngannou loses? In fact not. However Ngannou falling in his debut would undoubtedly harm. It’s robust sufficient that PFL signed him all the way in which again in Might 2023 and he’s simply now making his debut a yr and a half later, however watching him lose in his first battle with the promotion could be a brutal blow after stealing him away from the UFC whereas he was nonetheless holding the heavyweight title.

Lee: Ngannou has to win.

I’ll say it once more: Ngannou has to win.

A Ferreira win received’t be the loss of life knell for PFL as they’re stable on the enterprise facet of issues, however within the court docket of public opinion, they’re cooked for a minimum of a few years if Ngannou doesn’t ship. A lot had been made about buying Ngannou when he was the most popular free agent in MMA historical past, the true heavyweight champion, and a possible crossover boxing star, {that a} failure to ship on all of that promise might be disastrous. After such an extended layoff from cagefighting, it is a star ready to be reignited, and to PFL’s credit score, they’re giving him the platform to shine.

It’s a pleasant fantasy to assume that Ferreira would get sufficient of a rub from beating Ngannou that he might turn into one of many faces of the league, however let’s be critical, that is MMA the place followers assume everybody sucks. The trolling of Ngannou might be 100 instances the reward for Ferreira. It’s not honest, however it’s fight sports activities.

The PFL wants this, not as a result of I imagine Ngannou alone can take them to a different degree of notoriety, however as a result of with out him validating a historic signing, it might drop down a number of ranges by way of credibility.

Ngannou. Has. To. Win.

Photograph by Matt Davies/PxImages/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs

2. Who wins Cyborg vs. Pacheco and the place does the winner go from there?

Lee: Cyborg rides once more.

Name me a sucker or perhaps I’m making up for an extended stretch of fandom the place I wasn’t the all-time nice’s largest supporter, however I’m not satisfied that Cyborg is finished simply but. Respectfully, she’s by no means fought the very best competitors, so nitpicking her latest outcomes is in act of futility as, with uncommon exception, she’s performed what she’s at all times performed: Beat the brakes off of whoever they put in entrance of her.

I’m an enormous advocate for Pacheco, particularly on condition that she’s overcome a ton of adversity as a fighter, first being thrown to the wolves within the UFC when she was nowhere close to prepared after which twice being denied seven-figure paydays by the existence of Kayla Harrison. Guess what? Pacheco overcame that and he or she’s now clearly top-of-the-line girls fighters on the earth, no matter division. She’s not performed but both.

In relation to this head-to-head assembly although, give me the legend nonetheless close to the height of her powers, who I truly count on to learn from her boxing sojourns. Like with Harrison, I might see Pacheco successful a rematch down the highway ought to she get the chance, however on Saturday it will likely be a triumphant return for Cyborg as she units herself as much as retire on her personal phrases someday within the subsequent couple of years.

Meshew: I’m going with Larissa Pacheco as a result of she’s extraordinarily good at combating and likewise not outdated as filth.

Cyborg is 39 and has been combating for practically 20 years. That’s a number of miles on the odometer and it’s clearly caught up along with her. The one motive Cyborg hasn’t appeared worse as of late is as a result of girls’s featherweight is a catastrophe of a division and he or she’s fought a motley crew of undersized and overmatched opposition. Bellator had so few individuals to feed to Cyborg they ran again an Arlene Blencowe rematch 18 months later! I’m actually shocked Cyborg didn’t retire years in the past, however now Pacheco may beat it into her.

As for the place she goes, trustworthy to Optimus Prime I don’t know. Girls’s featherweight is just not an actual weight class. There are solely a handful of fighters that even compete in it and he or she’s overwhelmed most of them already! I suppose Pacheco can simply do the Cyborg factor and grasp round and dominate for years on finish towards no matter opposition PFL can drag up, as a result of other than that, I really don’t have any clue what you do along with her after she beats Cyborg.

Martin: I’ll stick to the recent hand right here and decide Larissa Pacheco to win as effectively.

Contemplating the quantity of expertise that Pacheco has racked up since debuting within the UFC again in 2014, she’s nonetheless solely 30 years outdated and seemingly in her prime proper now. Reducing right down to bantamweight by no means labored out effectively for her, however Pacheco actually hit her stride when she discovered what she might do competing at each 145 and 155 kilos. She hasn’t misplaced in practically 5 years and sure, as the PFL will gladly remind you, she holds the one win over Kayla Harrison (Pacheco additionally misplaced to her twice up to now as effectively, however went to a choice sales space instances).

In the meantime, Cyborg is 39 and you would argue her final really significant win got here again in 2019 when she beat Felicia Spencer within the UFC. Sure, Cyborg beat a veteran in Cat Zingano in her most up-to-date MMA battle in October 2023, however Zingano isn’t a featherweight and at 42, she’s not precisely younger within the recreation both. Add to that, Cyborg has spent a number of time recently coaching to win lopsided boxing matches and it appears like she’s prepared sing her swan tune before later.

So what occurs to Pacheco? Nicely, she turns into the brand new Cris Cyborg — an imposing brute of a fighter competing in a weight class that doesn’t actually exist and the PFL can solely hope that Harrison goes onto win UFC gold in order that serves as extra promotional fodder for them.

Photograph by Cooper Neill/Getty Photographs

3. What battle exterior of the highest 2 has you most intrigued?

Martin: Nicely after all it’s Husein Kadimagomaev vs. Zafar Mohsen! No, I’m solely kidding.

Sure, it’s A.J. McKee vs. Paul Hughes for any variety of causes, however maybe on the prime of the checklist is these are two fighters PFL can actually push for the long run. At his peak, McKee was seen as one of many prime two or three featherweights on the planet and he’s making a fairly good title for himself at light-weight now. Hughes is a prime prospect from Eire who handed on a UFC supply to as an alternative signal with the PFL.

An argument could possibly be made that this may be an excessive amount of, too quickly for Hughes in solely his second battle for the promotion however he’s promised he’s prepared for the step up in competitors. Additionally at this level, we must always all know that McKee is the true deal.

And the reward for the winner? A showdown towards Usman Nurmagomedov — an undefeated Russian mauler who may truly be the second finest light-weight on the earth behind his teammate and good friend, Islam Makhachev.

Lee: I received’t stand for this Johnny Eblen disrespect.

It wasn’t way back that Bellator’s middleweight king was thought-about by our rankings panel to be near a spot on the pound-for-pound checklist, which is not any small feat while you’re competing exterior of UFC. One less-than-flattering break up nod over Impa Kasanganay and now everyone seems to be abandoning ship? For disgrace.

Eblen actually isn’t recognized for being an all-action brawler, however the man simply is aware of win and he’ll most likely achieve this once more in his rematch with Fabian Edwards. He completed Edwards within the third spherical final time and if he can prime that efficiency, it might remind followers why his title is often talked about among the many better of the very best.

And perhaps it even greases the wheels in the direction of an eventual UFC transfer, which might actually get people speaking.

Meshew: Is that this a trick query? It’s clearly A.J. McKee vs. Paul Hughes. Anybody who says something totally different is a liar.

McKee was an elite featherweight, however may truly be one of many absolute best lightweights on the earth. The child is all gasoline, no brakes. Actually, I would like him within the UFC already to start out mixing it up with all the good fighters there.

On the opposite facet of issues, Paul Hughes is an elite prospect. I used to be a bit shocked when he didn’t signal with the UFC, however I don’t blame him for that. He’s going to construct his model massively over in PFL after which come to the UFC in just a few years time like Justin Gaethje or Michael Chandler did.

This battle is the very best battle of the whole weekend and I couldn’t be extra excited for it.