For the second time in his mixed martial arts (MMA) career, Francis Ngannou has been released before completing his contract.
Professional Fighters League (PFL) today parted ways with the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight titleholder, who registered just one appearance inside the PFL SmartCage. That came back in late 2024, when “The Predator” planished Renan Ferreira atop the “Battle of the Giants” fight card in Riyadh.
That performance stands as Ngannou’s lone MMA fight over the last four years.
“The Professional Fighters League has made the decision to part ways with Francis Ngannou,” officials told MMAmania.com. “We have 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 for fans around the globe.”
PFL has made several high-profile roster changes over the last few weeks.
Ngannou, now 39, didn’t appear to show much enthusiasm for MMA after scoring two major paydays in boxing opposite Tyson Fury (2023) and Anthony Joshua (2024). PFL even went so far as to appoint Ngannou the Chairman of PFL Africa, only to have “The Predator” no-show the promotion’s 2025 debut in Cape Town.
A return to UFC is unlikely, based on these comments from CEO Dana White.
PFL, which recently retired its tournament format, has a busy spring planned for 2026, which includes stateside stops in Pittsburgh (March 28), Chicago (April 11), and South Dakota (May 2), as well as international visits to Spain (March 20), Northern Ireland (April 16), and Brussels (May 23), among other destinations.
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