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Francis Ngannou will return to mixed martial arts after a 19-month absence when he faces Brazil’s Philipe Lins on 16 May.<\/b><\/p>\n
The five-round heavyweight bout will be part of Most Valuable Promotions’ (MVP) inaugural MMA fight card, headlined by Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
Former UFC champion Ngannou has not fought in MMA since October 2024, when the Cameroonian stopped Renan Ferreira in the first round<\/a> to win the PFL Super Fights heavyweight championship.<\/p>\n “While the world was busy talking, I was busy evolving,” said Ngannou.<\/p>\n “Silence shouldn’t be mistaken for absence – it’s the sound of a predator closing the distance. <\/p>\n “Stepping back into the cage isn’t just a return – it’s a reclamation. My return to MMA demanded a stage that matched the scale of my ambition, and partnering with MVP to bring this event to Netflix ensures the entire world is watching.”<\/p>\n Ngannou’s exit from the UFC in January 2023<\/a> was a massive moment in MMA as one of the sport’s biggest stars opted to walk away from the world’s biggest promotion.<\/p>\n The 39 year-old joined the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in May 2023, but fought just once for the MMA promotion.<\/p>\n His status rocketed when he came close to beating Tyson Fury<\/a> in a boxing contest in October 2023, and he went on to face Anthony Joshua in 2024, which ended in a knockout defeat<\/a>.<\/p>\n