Francis Ngannou will strap on the 4oz gloves once more in October, it has been confirmed.

The former UFC heavyweight champion, nowadays a member of the PFL, will fight Brazilian heavyweight Renan Ferreira on October 19 in what will be his debut with the organisation more than a year after he inked a big money contract with the fight league in May of last year. The winner of the bout will earn the promotion’s newly-created ‘super-fights championship belt.’

On the undercard, Cris Cyborg will battle PFL two-weight champion Larissa Pacheco with a similar ‘super-fights’ championship also up for grabs.

The Ngannou bout comes after the Cameroonian competed in two professional boxing matches since leaving the UFC as champion upon the expiration of his contract with the Las Vegas-based mixed martial arts promotion. In his first in October of last year, Ngannou fought to a close, split decision defeat to then-world champion Tyson Fury. He was knocked out in the second round of a fight with Anthony Joshua earlier this year.

The Ferreira fight will come close to three years since Ngannou’s last match under mixed martial arts rules — a unanimous decision win against Ciryl Gane in January 2022. Ngannou last experienced defeat in mixed martial arts in July 2018 when he was outpointed by Derrick Lewis in what was a subdued performance by both men.

Since then, Ngannou has stacked wins against Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez, Junior Dos Santos, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Stipe Miocic in addition to Gane.

Ferreira, meanwhile, is 13-3 in mixed martial arts (along with three no-contests). The 6ft 8in Brazilian striker has won 11 of his career wins by knockout.