Professional Fighters League made groundbreaking news in 2023
when it signed former
Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight king Francis
Ngannou to a contract.
After signing with PFL and the nearly unprecedented career
flexibility it offered, Ngannou competed in two high-level marquee
boxing matches against Tyson Fury
and Anthony
Joshua before making his mark inside and outside of the
SmartCage.
Helping launch the PFL Africa brand, which has given opportunities
to top talent on the continent, Ngannou served as chairman. Now,
after setting the table for a new generation, PFL and Ngannou are
headed separate ways.
On Friday morning, PFL released a statement announcing it has
released Ngannou, who competed once for the league, picking up a
first-round technical knockout of Renan
Ferreira:
“The Professional Fighters League has made the decision to part
ways with Francis Ngannou,” a PFL representative said in a release.
“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.”
Ngannou is now free to test combat sports free agency.
Opportunities will likely be present in boxing and mixed martial
arts, and he’s now contractually free to do as he chooses.