On Ariel Helwani vs. MMA Hour, PFL coach Don Davis hinted that Francis Ngannou could face Deontay Wilder in a mixed rules showdown.
Recently, the Professional Fighters League has emerged as one of the UFC’s main competitors, with a number of fighters leaving Dana White’s company, including big names like Francis Ngannou. Ngannou left the UFC earlier this year and fans are eagerly awaiting his debut in the PFL Octagon. After Bellator’s induction, PFL President Don Davis announced that Ngannou would make his first fight in the PFL in 2024, likely against Deontay Wilder in special rules. Let’s take a look at the details.
PFL President claims Francis Ngannou might face Deontay Wilder in 2024
PFL recently acquired Bellator and Don Davis discussed the development on the Ariel Helwani Chat Show. When asked about Francis Ngannou, who recently fought Tyson Fury and entered the top 10 of the WBC rankings, Davis said there could be a mixed rules fight between Ngannou and Wilder next year.
According to him, “We (PFL) don’t know anything other than that he will fight in 2024. We don’t know if it will be in the first quarter or the last quarter, but still I think it’s going to be a mixed rules fight, and I still think Deontay Wilder is the most likely opponent. That’s incredible. I think the second and third options are less convincing. Therefore, we do not want to force these options.“
Ngannou parted ways with the UFC in January after lengthy discussions. The Cameroonian fighter, who has expressed his desire to compete in boxing, put in an impressive performance against Tyson Fury. Now, it looks like he’s ready for his next fight, this time in the Octagon against former Fury opponent Deontay Wilder.
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It will certainly be interesting to see if official confirmation arrives and the fight progresses. Considering both fighters’ long-standing desire to compete and their prowess in their respective sports, the mixed rules bout promises to be a solid fight that will have fans shouting out their favorites.
