Francis Ngannou beats Renan Ferreira: PFL heavyweight bout – as it happened

That brings our coverage of a thrilling night of MMA to an end – thanks so much for joining us.

Stay tuned to Al Jazeera for more sport coverage, including the build-up and live text commentary for the Premier League clash between Liverpool and Chelsea on Sunday.

But for now, this is Patrick Keddie signing off for Al Jazeera.

So, Ngannou wraps up a great PFL fight night with an incredible demolition of Ferreira and claims the super fight heavyweight title, nearly three years after his last MMA fight.

The emotion spilled out of him after the fight as he paid a moving tribute to his son Kobe, who died aged just 15 months in April.

It’s not clear where Ngannou goes next – he’s likely to fight on, whether in MMA or boxing, but he said he would take some time to process how he feels after this fight.

If he does fight on in MMA, there are no obvious PFL contenders at the moment, given that he has just smashed through the 2023 heavyweight champion.

In the co-main event, Cris Cyborg beat Larissa Pacheco by a unanimous decision to add the PFL’s women’s Super Fight featherweight title to her long list of belts.

On the undercard, Zafar Mohsen got a dominant featherweight decision win over Husein Kadimagomaev, and Johnny Eblen used his wrestling to good effect to convincingly beat Fabian Edwards and defend his Bellator middleweight title by unanimous decision.

Paul Hughes caused an upset by beating AJ McKee by unanimous decision, with the Irishman looking like a legitimate rising star.

“I don’t think there’s anyone in the world that can compete with that man right now,” former UFC fighter Dan Hardy tells DAZN.

“I think we’ve got some some real rising prospects [at heavyweight] but right now, Francis Ngannou is king of the world. I think all of us tonight are thankful for him for stepping back in there and giving such an incredible performance.”

Ngannou says his next move in combat sports depends on how he feels going forward. Ahead of the fight, he told Al Jazeera that this could be his last fight after his devastating loss, but it sounds like he wants to continue.

“I always thought I still have a lot to give in combat sports and hopefully, I will keep thinking that way and I keep that thought alive,” he said.

Ngannou ends by asking people to “please remember my son Kobe, and I dedicate this for him – this is for Kobe”.

Emotion is pouring out of Ngannou as he talks about his son who died from an undiagnosed brain malformation in April, and how hard the the build up to the fight was.

“It was tough, it’s been tough – not only the training camp was tough, but the past two days were very tough, full of emotion. I couldn’t do anything without thinking of [Kobe],” he said.

“I tried to be strong, I told myself everything to keep moving, but it’s hard, it’s so hard.”

He said he wasn’t worried about the near three-year layoff from MMA.

“As soon as I walked in the gym for MMA, I knew that everything was still there, it was just about me being able to manage my emotions and deal with life,” he said.

He thanked his team and family for “supporting me in my crazy dream, which has no limit”.

Ferreira is a top-class heavyweight, but Ngannou just smashed through him.

It took three minutes and 32 seconds and Ngannou survived a triangle choke scare, but it was a dominant victory overall.

The Brazilian is thankfully back on his feet, as Ngannou is wrapped in a Cameroon flag.

Ngannou is on the mic, he chokes back tears and dedicates the fight to his son Kobe.

“I only took this fight because of him … I hope [people] remember his name,” he said.

Unbelievable finish by Ngannou in his first MMA fight in nearly three years!

Ngannou is in yellow shorts, Ferreira in grey. The round starts with a heavy leg kick from Ngannou to open the attacks, then both exchange leg kicks, looking to weaken the other’s base.

These guys look absolutely enormous, especially after the previous fighters.

Ngannou lands the first takedown, drives through and ends up on top. The Cameroonian climbs into the guard but Ferreira extends him and binds his legs so he can’t posture up and attack.

Ngannou does eventually manage to wriggle out and posture up but Ferreira attempts to catch him in a triangle choke.

Ngannou battles to free his head and manages to get out of trouble. He resumes top position and begins a brutal ground and pound and it looks terrible for Ferreira.

Ferreira tries to cover up and rally, but he has his back to Ngannou, who rains left-handed hammer after hammer down on the side of Ferreira’s head and eventually, it looks like he’s out cold and the referee steps in to stop it.

Ngannou is in floods of tears as he celebrates the victory. He said before the fight he wanted to dedicate it to his son Kobe, who died aged 15 months in April, and he’s got the victory in spectacular fashion with about 90 seconds left to go in the round.

Fairly low-key ring walks as both men make their way to the PFL Smart Cage.

Nothing low-key about this fight though, we are in for a treat.

Here we go….

The UFC legend Randy Couture says that the key to this fight is for them to get their wrestling going.

“I don’t think either of these guys are silly enough to step in there toe to toe, especially in these early rounds, and bang it out,” he told DAZN.

“You’ve got to take some steam out of guys like this – make them work, make them sweat, make them get slippery, and as you get into the later rounds, I think you see that knockout power come into play.”

It’s nearly time for Francis Ngannou to take on Renan Ferreira for the PFL Super Fight heavyweight title in the Battle of the Giants.

All three judges score it 49-46 to give the fight to Cyborg by unanimous decision, and the veteran has won the Super Fight featherweight title to go with all her other titles.

Cyborg’s face is battered and she had to survive a few hairy moments, including a guillotine attempt by Pacheco.

But Cyborg started strong, got several takedowns and landed some huge shots in a strong performance.

Pacheco lands a nice low kick on the left lead leg of Cyborg, soon after she looks for a head kick on Cyborg but it’s blocked.

A spinning kick for Cyborg fails. She tries another one of those big overhand right hands but Pacheco evades nimbly.

Pacheco lands a good counter but then Cyborg advances with a flurry of punches and pours on the pressure. Pacheco crumbles to the ground and covers up while doubled over but manages to get to her feet before too long.

A right hand over the top lands from Pacheco.

Cyborg goes with another big looping right, then tries another and follows up with a stinging jab.

Takedown for Cyborg but she can’t grab a proper hold of Pacheco, who rolls through and they both get to their feet.

Last 15 seconds and both swing wildly, landing big shots but nothing definitive.

The bell goes – a great fight and it could be anyone’s!

Cyborg’s cuts are not leaking too much blood, which may be why the doctors aren’t having a look yet.

Pacheco is still looking patient and lands a big kick on the Cyborg’s lead leg. It looks like it hurt Cyborg, who is moving gingerly on her left leg.

Both fighters land big right hands as they vie for control of the centre of the cage.

Pacheco looks composed, but suddenly, Cyborg lands a chopping overhand right that seems to stun Pacheco, who stumbles back with her eyes spinning a bit. Cyborg looks to follow up with a combination of punches but Pacheco recovers her poise.

Cyborg looks for another overhand right that misses, but she lands a big follow-up left hook.

Pacheco stuffs a takedown attempt by Cyborg and they trade shots in the pocket, until Pacheco partially lands a head kick and forces Cyborg back.

Tough fight to score as we head into the final round.

The third round of a possible five-round fight. Cyborg draws boos as Pacheco beckons her to the middle of the cage but she hangs back by the edge.

Pacheco is firing in fast one-twos and is using distance better now, darting in and out and fighting more patiently.

Pacheco lands a big right hand to put Cyborg onto the canvas and gets on top, looking to posture up and land some shots from above.

Cyborg is trapped against the fence and Pacheco enjoys control, but she’s struggling to find elbows from above.

She finally lands a couple of nasty elbows on Cyborg towards the end of the fight.

A good round by Pacheco who looks to have weathered the early storm and looks fresher now.

A slower start to this round, Cyborg hurts Pacheco with a kick to the back of the knee.

Then Cyborg throws an elbow, misses, but comes back to land with a back fist that took Pacheco completely by surprise.

Pacheco is timing her punches better, but her chin is high. Cyborg gets another takedown and flattens Pacheco out, as blood leaks from Cyborg’s cuts.

Pacheco looks to attack from the bottom and Cyborg gets up, and Pacheco lands a strong right just before the bell.

Cyborg appears to be winning the fight but is wearing more damage on her face.

Both out of the traps fast, landing jabs simultaneously.

Cyborg looks for a takedown. She gets a body lock and pushes her against the cage, looking to land knees to the legs. Blood seems to be leaking from Pacheco’s ear already.

Beautiful level change by Cyborg to get a takedown. Pacheco gets up but Cyborg lands a big right kick to her head, but it’s with a foot rather than the shin and Pacheco eats it.

Nice uppercut from Pacheco as they grapple in the clinch, but then she’s caught with a knee that hurts her.

A vicious left hand over the top for Cyborg. She times another takedown but finds herself in a possible guillotine.

Pacheco is not looking to finish the move, she just holds Cyborg, who eventually pops her head out and starts to land elbows and punches on Pachecho from the top.

But Cyborg looks to have sustained a couple of cuts already as the round ends.

Larissa Pacheco, 30, is one of the hardest-hitting women in the sport and the only woman to have beaten Kayla Harrison. She has 23 victories and four losses in her professional MMA career.

Cris Cyborg, 39, has 27 wins in her professional MMA record and two defeats – her last loss was to Amanda Nunes back in 2019.

Cyborg is the only fighter to have won championship belts in four different MMA promotions: the UFC, Bellator, Invicta FC and Strikeforce.

Can she add the PFL featherweight championship belt to her record?

Next up, PFL tournament winner Larissa Pacheco takes on Bellator champion Cris Cyborg for the women’s Super Fight featherweight title.

Maybe a little closer than expected with all judges giving it as 48-47, but Eblen wins a unanimous decision, retaining his middleweight belt and going to 16-0-0.

“There’s still some aspects of my game I need to work on but Fabian is a top-level guy. He’s one of the best in the world [and] it was really great to face him again,” Eblen said in the PFL Smart Cage after the fight.

Round five, the last round, and Edwards needs a knockout. He lands a left kick and follows up with a right punch but his palm was open and the referee calls a time-out for an eye poke on Eblen.

The fight resumes, but shortly after Edwards lands a push kick illegally to Eblen’s groin, and there’s another brief time-out.

Edwards puts pressure on Eblen, stabbing his mid-section with front kicks.

Eblen shoots but Edwards defends well and pours on the pressure with a flurry of punches. Eblen also lands some straight punches.

The Englishman gets into the pocket and lands a big elbow, but just as Edwards looks like he’s getting somewhere, Eblen gets him onto the fence and lands an elbow of his own.

Edwards puts some digging uppercuts into Eblen’s body and then lands a knee into his torso. Both fighters are exhausted but are maintaining a frantic pace.

The final bell goes with Eblen pressing Edwards into the fence and both men fall to their haunches, spent by a grinding fight.

By far the best round for Edwards. It won’t be enough though.