This past Saturday in the main event of PFL Lyon, the heavyweight title was on the line. Former Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov (20-2, 1 NC) was taking on 2023 heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira (13-5, 3 NC).
When analyzing this fight on paper, it felt like it was going to go one of two ways. Either Ferreira was going to catch Nemkov and knock him out or Nemkov was going to take him down easily and submit him. The latter ended up happening as Nemkov was able to get Ferreira down and he submitted him in the first round to win the PFL heavyweight title.
After winning the heavyweight title, Nemkov had one name on his mind and that is Francis Ngannou (18-3). The promotion’s Super Fights heavyweight champion has only fought once inside the PFL Smart Cage and that was last year when he stopped Renan Ferreira in the first round.
Ngannou made news last week when he mentioned that is contract is coming to an end sooner rather than later. It appears that he only has one fight left and both Ngannou and Nemkov want that fight to be for the heavyweight title.
Will the PFL book the fight?
PFL CEO John Martin made it clear that they want to do something special for Francis Ngannou in terms of his next fight. The writing on the wall is to book Ngannou against Nemkov with the heavyweight title on the line.
It’s the biggest fight the promotion can make and it’s the only fight that makes sense. However, one has to wonder if the idea is a gamble. Ngannou seems to be open to the idea of returning to the UFC after his current contract with the PFL comes to an end.
Does the PFL want to run the risk of having Ngannou winning the heavyweight title just to walk out the door? Given their market position and their new desire to just create the best fights possible, I think the promotion needs to take the gamble to book the best fight possible.
Could Ngannou walk out as heavyweight champion? Sure he could but guess what, he did the same thing in the UFC. Ngannou left the UFC as the heavyweight champion after the two sides couldn’t come a deal. Knowing how John Martin is running things, I fully expect Vadim Nemkov – Francis Ngannou to happen in the spring.
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