Francis Ngannou fights in mixed martial arts for the first time in over 1,000 days. Much of the interest surrounding the Professional Fighters League’s “Battle of the Giants” pay-per-view rests on Ngannou’s shoulders, but it’s not PFL’s only intriguing fight.
Ngannou vs. Ferreira is one of three title fights at Saturday’s PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The heavyweight hitters will compete for the inaugural PFL heavyweight superfight championship. Cris Cyborg and Larissa Pacheco will fight to become the first PFL women’s featherweight superfight champion, plus Johnny Eblen defends the Bellator middleweight title.
Here are three fights worth watching beyond Saturday’s PFL main event.
Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco
PFL posted a video of Pacheco defeating Kayla Harrison on the day of Harrison’s fight at UFC 307. Some people accused PFL of dirty promotional tactics, but the organization has a point. Harrison is likely the frontrunner to challenge for the UFC women’s bantamweight championship, and that means Pacheco might be the best upper-weight class fighter in either promotion. Pacheco (23-4) revitalized her career after previous losses to Harrison. Pacheco embarked on a 10-fight winning streak with seven knockouts, winning the 2022 lightweight and 2023 featherweight tournaments. Pacheco is primed for her biggest fight yet.
Cyborg (27-2, 1 NC) is the reigning Bellator featherweight champion and former UFC, Strikeforce and Invicta featherweight champ. The career KO artist is still an offensive dynamo nearly 20 years into her career. She rides a seven-fight winning streak with five finishes. Cyborg could further cement her legacy as an all-time great by capturing a title in a fifth major promotion, or pass the torch to a fellow finisher nine years her junior.
A.J. McKee vs. Paul Hughes
McKee vs. Hughes is arguably the most exciting fight in any promotion this weekend. Former Bellator featherweight champion McKee (22-1) is one of the most well-rounded fighters on the PFL roster. The second-generation fighter defeated Patricio Pitbull at the height of Pitbull’s reputation as Bellator’s greatest fighter. McKee carries experience into his battle against Cage Warriors standout Paul Hughes. Hughes (9-1) put together an impressive highlight reel on the U.K. regional scene. He lived up to the hype in his PFL-Bellator debut in June, stopping Bobby King in Round 2. This should be a fun technical battle with finishing potential.
Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards
It’s hard to get excited about a rematch when the challenger was knocked out by the champion one year ago. These undesired Bellator rematches have been a dark spot in the PFL-Bellator merger. But it’s a title fight on a PPV main card so it gets a pass. Eblen (15-0) overcame serious scares in February’s PFL vs. Bellator champions showdown against Impa Kasanganay. Bellator middleweight champ Eblen is an aggressive wrestler with power in his fists. Edwards (13-3) knows that all too well after being knocked out by Eblen in Round 3 of their previous title fight. Edwards, the younger brother of former UFC welterweight champ Leon Edwards, bounced back by defeating Aaron Jeffery. Edwards can lean on his well-rounded arsenal if he can stay out of Eblen’s danger zones.
