https://arab.news/ren7z
- In the co-main event, Cris ‘Cyborg,’ scores a unanimous decision over Larissa Pacheco
RIYADH: Francis Ngannou’s long-awaited return to MMA on Saturday night ended early with the Cameroonian securing a first-round win in the Professional Fighters League Battle of the Giants in Riyadh.
The Mayadeen hosted the return of “The Predator,” who stopped Renan Ferreira by knockout in little more than three minutes to win the newly minted PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Championship and give notice that he remains a force to be reckoned with when he laces up MMA gloves.
In the co-main event of the evening, the greatest women’s MMA fighter of all-time, Cris “Cyborg,” added to her already impressive resume with a unanimous decision victory over PFL two-division champion Larissa Pacheco. By winning the PFL Super Fights Women’s Featherweight World Championship, Cyborg has now added a fifth different promotional belt to her trophy case. The loss snaps a 10-fight winning streak for Pacheco, while Cyborg pushed her winning streak to eight bouts.
The Bellator Middleweight Championship was on the line in a rematch between undefeated champion Johnny Eblen and England’s Fabian Edwards. It was the world-class grappling of American Top Team’s Eblen that proved the difference. The Kansas City native scored several takedowns over the course of 25 minutes, earning a unanimous 48-47 decision despite a fifth-round onslaught from Edwards.
Zafar Mohsen entered PFL’s SmartCage for the first time on Saturday as a major underdog for his featherweight contest against Dagestan’s Husein Kadimagomaev, but it was the German athlete who emerged on top, sweeping the scorecards in a one-sided 30-27 unanimous decision victory. Mohsen has now pushed his current winning streak to four bouts.
Opening the PPV card of PFL Battle of the Giants, a highly anticipated lightweight fight between former Bellator featherweight champion A.J. McKee and surging Irish prospect Paul Hughes ended up being exactly what fight fans were expecting — a high-level, back-and-forth fight between two athletes with title aspirations. Both fighters had their moments, but in the end, two judges saw Belfast’s Hughes as the winner, moving him to 2-0 in PFL and putting “Big News” one step closer to a world title shot.
PFL, in partnership with the Ministry of Sport and the Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation, announced that the championships for the 2024 PFL Global Season will take place on Friday, Nov. 29 in Riyadh.
PFL Battle of the Giants main card results:
Francis Ngannou (18-3) defeated Renan Ferreira (13-4, 3 NC) via KO (punches) at 3:32 of Round 1
Cris Cyborg (28-2, 1 NC) defeated Larissa Pacheco (23-5) via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
Johnny Eblen (16-0) defeated Fabian Edwards (13-4) via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
Zafar Mohsen (14-4) defeated Husein Kadimagomaev (11-2) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Paul Hughes (13-1) defeated A.J. McKee (22-2) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Early card results:
Raufeon Stots (21-2) defeated Marcos Breno (13-4) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:01 of Round 3
Makkasharip Zaynukov (16-4) defeated Dedrek Sanders (9-5) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26. 30-26)
Ibragim Ibragimov (8-0) defeated Nacho Campos (5-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Taha Bendaoud (4-0) defeated Tariq Ismail (8-2) via submission (triangle choke) at 3:51 of Round 2