Francis Ngannou will return to the cage and compete on May 16 Filip Lins as part of a blockbuster card headlined Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano under the Most valuable promotions banner.
The fight marks Ngannou’s long-awaited comeback to MMA following his high-profile venture into boxing, and adds another major storyline to an already historic night of combat sports.
🚨FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT🚨
Former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou returns to MMA to take on Brazil’s Philipe Lins in a five-round heavyweight bout. 💥
Ngannou vs Lins joins the historic card headlined by Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano as MVP heads to the… pic.twitter.com/qhBtC2btvM
— MVP – Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) March 9, 2026
Ngannou (18-3) last competed in MMA in October 2024, when he defeated Renan Ferreira by first-round knockout at PFL’s Super Fights event. Before that, he ventured into boxing, where he suffered back-to-back high-profile losses to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
After recently parting ways with the PFL, Ngannou turned to the destination many expected, joining MVP’s Rousey vs. Carano map.
“While the world was busy talking, I was busy evolving,” Ngannou said in a statement.
“Silence should not be confused with absence, it is the sound of a predator closing the distance. Stepping back into the cage is not just a return; it is a reclamation. My return to MMA required a stage that matched the scale of my ambition, and partnering with MVP to bring this event to Netflix has the whole world watching. I am ready for this new chapter and I can’t wait to entertain my fans again and remind the world exactly who I am and what I can deliver at a highest level stage.”
Lins (18-5) hasn’t fought since UFC 299 in 2024, where he defeated Ion Cutelaba by decision.
“Being part of the first MMA event on Netflix will be amazing. I’m excited, very, very, very excited,” said Philipe Lins.
“I am very happy and grateful to God for giving me this opportunity and that I am with the right people to take care of my MMA career. MVP, Netflix and Dominance MMA made this possible. I am very happy to fight so many legends on this card. Ronda Rousey, Gina Carano, Francis Ngannou, we are going to make history, and to be part of this moment is great for me.”
MVP: Rousey vs. Carano takes place on May 16th at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, CA. It will be broadcast live on Netflix.
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