Former UFC Heavyweight Champ Francis Ngannou Departs PFL
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PFL has announced the departure of former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou.
PFL signed Ngannou in 2023 after he left UFC with the heavyweight crown, touted at the time as a multi-fight deal in the "Super Fights" division, and offering great flexibility as he made his professional boxing debut against Tyson Fury. He was outscored by Fury before getting knocked out by Anthony Joshua in his second and, to date, his last pro boxing fight.
As part of the deal, he was a part of the PFL's advisory board, advocating for fighters' interests. And he also helped launch the PFL Africa brand in his home continent as an equity owner and chairman.
Ngannou fought his one and only fight for PFL in October 2024, beating Renan Fereira in a first-round knockout to win the PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Championship.
On Friday, PFL released a statement announcing it had released Ngannou.
"The Professional Fighters League has made the decision to part ways with Francis Ngannou," the announcement read. "We have a great respect for Francis as both an athlete and a person, and we wish him success in the next chapter of his combat sports career. The PFL remains focused on recruiting and signing the best athletes in the sport while continuing to deliver world-class competition around the globe."
BREAKING: The Professional Fighters League has made the decision to part ways with Francis Ngannou. pic.twitter.com/aK2Di1DCZ5
— PFL (@PFLMMA) March 6, 2026
Ngannou debuted in UFC in 2015 with a record of 5-1, going on to beat the likes of Andrei Arlovski and Alistair Overeem before losing back-to-back fights against Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis in 2018.
Those would prove to be his final defeats in the promotion, notching wins against Curtis Blaydes, Junior Dos Santos, and Cain Velasquez before beating Miocic for the Heavyweight title in 2021. He successfully defended the title against then-Interim Champion, Ciryl Gane, in 2022 to finish up as the reigning champion.