Ngannou Returns to MMA

This fight marks Ngannou's first MMA bout in nearly 19 months, his last being a first-round knockout victory over Renan Ferreira in October 2024 to win the PFL Heavyweight Superfight Championship. That was his only appearance with the PFL after a high-profile departure from the UFC. Ngannou famously vacated his UFC heavyweight title when he left the promotion in January 2023. The departure stemmed from disputes over contract restrictions, including the desire for health insurance, the ability for all fighters to have sponsorships, and the freedom to pursue boxing matches. During his hiatus from MMA, "The Predator" ventured into professional boxing for two high-profile bouts in Saudi Arabia. He first lost a controversial split decision to Tyson Fury in October 2023, a fight in which he knocked down the reigning heavyweight champion. He then suffered a second-round knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in March 2024. His opponent, Philipe "Monstro" Lins, is a fellow PFL tournament winner, having captured the heavyweight championship and $1 million prize in 2018. More recently, Lins competed in the UFC's light heavyweight division, amassing a four-fight winning streak before his release in March 2024. This event is the first foray into mixed martial arts for Most Valuable Promotions, the company co-founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, which has previously focused on boxing. The entire fight card, including the Rousey vs. Carano main event, will be streamed live on Netflix, marking the platform's inaugural live MMA broadcast. The headline fight between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano brings two pioneers of women's MMA out of long-term retirement. Rousey, a former UFC bantamweight champion and Olympic bronze medalist in judo, has not competed in MMA since 2016. Carano, a trailblazer who headlined the first major MMA event between two women in 2009, has not fought since that loss to Cris Cyborg.