Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou will return to mixed martial arts on May 16, facing Brazil’s Philipe Lins in a five-round heavyweight bout at Most Valuable Promotions’ inaugural MMA event, according to ESPN.
The contest will serve as the co-main event to Ronda Rousey’s return against Gina Carano, with the card scheduled to stream live on Netflix. It will mark Ngannou’s first MMA appearance since October 2024, when he stopped Renan Ferreira in the first round to win the PFL Super Fights heavyweight championship.
“While the world was busy talking, I was busy evolving,” Ngannou said in a statement. “Silence shouldn’t be mistaken for absence-it’s the sound of a predator closing the distance.
“Stepping back into the cage isn’t just a return; it’s a reclamation,” Ngannou added. “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. I am ready for this new chapter, and I cannot wait to entertain my fans again and remind the world exactly who I am and what I am capable of delivering on a highest stage.”
Ngannou’s return comes days after he parted ways with the Professional Fighters League, which he joined in 2023 under a deal that allowed him to compete in boxing while serving as chairman of its PFL Africa division. During that period, Ngannou fought once in MMA against Ferreira and had two professional boxing bouts, narrowly losing to Tyson Fury in 2023 before suffering a knockout defeat to Anthony Joshua in 2024.
“Francis Ngannou is unequivocally the best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world, and his addition creates star power on one card like never before seen in the sport,” Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions, said in a statement. “Two heavyweight knockout artists. Ngannou vs Lins. Rousey vs Carano. Five rounds each. The global spotlight of Netflix. Saturday, May 16, will be one of the most significant nights in modern MMA.”
Ngannou previously held the UFC heavyweight championship, knocking out Stipe Miocic to win the title in 2021 before defending it against Ciryl Gane in 2022. Negotiations for a new contract with the UFC ultimately collapsed, leading to his departure and the title being vacated.
Lins, who has competed in the UFC, Bellator and PFL, last fought as a light heavyweight in the UFC, winning four consecutive bouts between 2022 and 2024 before being released by the promotion in March 2024. The Brazilian also won the 2018 PFL heavyweight tournament but has not competed at heavyweight in nearly six years. Ngannou vs. Lins will take place under the Unified Rules of MMA over five five-minute rounds using four-ounce gloves inside a hexagon cage.
