BREAKING: Francis Ngannou to make MMA comeback in October, Cris Cyborg to feature in co-main event in blockbuster night for PFL

Francis Ngannou is set to make his historic return to MMA competition after more than two years away from the sport.

"The Predator" will challenge 2023 PFL heavyweight tournament winner Renan Ferreira in the headlining bout of the 'Battle of the Giants' event, scheduled to take place on October 19. The venue for the event has not been annonuced yet, but Ngannou previously noted that the PFL was trying to host the event in Saudi Arabia on that date.

In the co-headlining bout, women's MMA legend Cris Cyborg will fight two-time PFL champion Larissa Pacheco. Both fights will be contested for PFL Super Fight championship belts. The PFL made the bout announcement on their social media accounts on Aug. 6.

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The fight against Ferreira will mark Ngannou's first competitive MMA fight since his unanimous decision victory against former teammate Ciryl Gane in January 2022. Following a public fallout with the UFC over contractual issues, Ngannou signed a multi-year contract with the PFL in 2023.

That same year, the Cameroonian fighter made his professional boxing debut against former WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and lost by a razor-thin split decision. Ngannou is now coming off a devastating second-round KO loss against Anthony Joshua in his last fight that took place in March.

Meanwhile, Ferreira captured a Super Fight belt at the PFL vs. Bellator event this past February with a 21-second KO of Ryan Bader. He is currently on a four-fight finish streak.

Both women competing in the co-main event scored title fight victories in their most recent fights. Cyborg secured the fifth defense of her Bellator women's featherweight gold at Bellator 300 with a first-round KO of Cat Zingano. Pacheco, meanwhile, defeated Marina Mokhnatkina to win the inaugural PFL womens's featherweight tournament in November 2023.

According to Ngannou, former Glory Kickboxing champion Cedric Doumbe might also compete on the same card.