Renan Ferreira: Francis Ngannou has 'big problem ahead,' fight determines best heavyweight in MMA

Renan Ferreira feels he’s one fight away from setting himself as the best heavyweight in MMA today.

Ferreira (13-3 MMA, 7-1 PFL) won the 2023 PFL heavyweight title and then defeated Bellator heavyweight titleholder Ryan Bader in his subsequent fight. The Brazilian is now set to return on Oct. 19 against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou at PFL Battle of the Giants in Saudi Arabia.

He strongly believes whoever wins between him and Ngannou (17-3 MMA, 0-0 PFL) will have a claim to being the “Baddest Man on the Planet.”

“For sure, this fight seals the deal on who’s the best heavyweight in the world,” Ferreira said on Thursday at the PFL Battle of the Giants press conference. “These are two guys in their prime, heavy hitters, very similar style, insane knockout power and that only know one motion and that’s forward.”

Ferreira respects what Ngannou brings to the table, as many consider him the hardest-hitting heavyweight in MMA history. However, he thinks Ngannou should be just as concerned.

“He’s a great athlete and the cage is the cage,” Ferreira said. “It’s going to bring other challenges and as I’ve said, and I’ll say it again, he has a big problem ahead of him. He knows I have knockout power, I can wrestle him, I can bring him down to the ground, and I can knock him out or submit him. Again, he has a big problem ahead of him.”