Ronda Rousey won’t be the only former UFC champion stepping into the cage May 16 when she fights Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
Francis Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, has been added to the mixed martial arts card being promoted by Most Valuable Promotion (MVP), which made the announcement Monday, March 9.
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Ngannou, 39, will fight Philipe Lins, a 40-year-old Brazilian who previously fought in UFC’s light heavyweight division and in 2018 won the Professional Fighters League heavyweight tournament.
Ngannou, nicknamed “The Predator,” will be fighting for the first time since October 2024.
Rousey returns: Ronda Rousey to make MMA comeback vs. Gina Carano on Netflix in May
“Stepping back into the cage isn’t just a return; it’s a reclamation,’’ he said, according to a news release issued by MVP. “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.’’
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The sports world figures to be focused on Rousey, who will be fighting for the first time since 2016. But Ngannou, the hard-punching Cameroonian, gives the card added zest.
He won the UFC heavyweight title in 2021 and defended it once before leaving UFC and making a foray into professional boxing.
Ngannou stunned the combat sports world when he knocked down Tyson Fury in his pro boxing debut. But in his next fight, Ngannou suffered a brutal knockout loss to Anthony Joshua.
He returned to MMA at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants in October 2024, when he knocked out Renan Ferreira in the first round.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card gains ex-UFC champion
