Cameroonian fighter Francis Ngannou emerged victorious in his return to MMA. The 38-year-old Ngannou knocked out Renan Ferreira in the first round, dedicating his win to his son Kobe, who passed away earlier this year.
After becoming the UFC heavyweight champion two years ago, Ngannou left the organization and became one of the most recognized boxers in the world. He had always expressed a desire to return to MMA, and with this fight, he achieved that goal.
Ngannou, who had considered retirement earlier this year, revealed that he continued fighting to honor Kobe. He said,
“I can’t think about anything [other] than my son Kobe. I only took this fight because of him. I went to fight for him. I hope they can remember his name because without Kobe, we wouldn’t be here tonight. I wouldn’t have fought.”
This event, held in Riyadh, was even watched by famous footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. After the match, Ngannou commented,
“I knew I didn’t miss a step. I wasn’t worried about it because as soon as I walked in the gym, I knew everything was still there.”
“It was just me being able to manage my emotions. Deal with life separately, not mix things up. That’s what I have been working on.”
“My next move in combat sports all depends on me, how I feel. I always think I have a lot to give, and I keep thinking that way.”