Cameroonian mixed martial arts (MMA) star Francis Ngannou will make his return to competition on 16 May in Los Angeles, organisers confirmed on Monday. The former UFC heavyweight champion is scheduled to face Brazilian fighter Philipe Lins in a bout promoted by MVP, the fight company co-founded by YouTuber Jake Paul.
The announcement marks Ngannou’s first fight since October 2024, when he defeated Brazil’s Renan Ferreira during his sole appearance for the Professional Fighters League (PFL). He formally ended his relationship with the PFL on 6 March. Ngannou, 39, joined the PFL in 2023 following a public contract disagreement with UFC president Dana White. His professional MMA record stands at 18 wins and 3 losses.
Beyond MMA, Ngannou has pursued significant boxing matches. He lost to Tyson Fury in October 2023 and to Anthony Joshua in March 2024, both bouts offering substantial financial rewards.
This comeback is notable because it occurs outside the sport’s two dominant global organisations, the UFC and PFL. Instead, Ngannou will fight under the MVP banner. The promotion, established in 2021, is strongly associated with Jake Paul and secured a major broadcasting partnership with streaming giant Netflix.
The 16 May event will be headlined by a women’s MMA bout featuring former UFC champion Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, a pioneering female MMA fighter who later became an actress. Ngannou’s fight will appear on the same card.
The event is set for the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, the home venue of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. Ngannou’s choice of promoter underscores a continued trend of high-profile fighters exploring alternatives to the UFC’s traditional model, leveraging celebrity-backed promotions with different broadcast strategies.
His return to the cage after a seven-month hiatus and following two high-profile boxing losses will be closely watched by the global combat sports community, testing his marketability and competitive standing outside the sport’s most established power structures.
