Francis Ngannou and Israel Adesanya | Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC

Israel Adesanya has seen enough to assure him that Francis Ngannou is still the true king of the heavyweight division.

Ngannou made a spectacular PFL debut at Saturday’s Battle of the Giants event, needing less than a round to ground Renan Ferreira and knock him out with a series of devastating punches. It was the first MMA fight for Ngannou since he defeated Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022.

Though UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is scheduled to take on former titleholder Stipe Miocic in a long-awaited fight at UFC 309 on Nov. 16, Adesanya doesn’t agree that the winner of that bout should automatically be granted GOAT status.

“Hell no [the debate isn’t done],” Adesanya said in a Battle of the Giants reaction video. “Stipe is the last one I can remember people saying. Well, it was Cain [Velasquez] first and then Stipe, and then right now people still hold Stipe as the greatest of all-time in the heavyweight division. But I think he’s one of the greatest, and he has beaten Francis, but Francis beat him in the worst way. Again, it’s all subjective, it’s all art, it’s all who you like.

“I think Francis is the greatest heavyweight of all time, but again, now Jon is in there, he’s the heavyweight champion. He’s only fought once at heavyweight, but he’s also one of, if not the greatest fighter of all-time. Tom Aspinall’s even in the f*cking mix, and he’s only just kind of getting his ball rolling. It’s exciting as a fan, but right now in this moment, I am just so happy for [Ngannou] and what he has accomplished and to see him go through it with the adversity he had to go through with the death of Kobe.”

Ngannou entered Saturday’s main event with the heaviest of hearts, having lost his infant son Kobe this past April. He dedicated the fight to Kobe in a tearful post-fight interview, stating that he was only fighting again to honor him.

Following his departure from the UFC in 2023—having never lost the heavyweight title in the octagon—Ngannou signed with PFL and then booked a pair of high-profile boxing bouts. He narrowly lost a thrilling split decision against Tyson Fury and then suffered a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in his next fight.

When it came time to compete under MMA rules, however, Ngannou went right back to his winning ways.

“Flawless,” Adesanya said of Ngannou’s win. “That was a beautiful performance. He took one leg and dodged a flurry and eventually timed his right hand, shot for a double, kept him there and knocked him out. Proud, inspired, and just happy to watch him do his thing because he’s gone through so much in his career even still. After the whole boxing thing, people were doubting him and then he lost to A.J., people went, ‘Oh, we knew it.’ It’s like people are prisoners of the moment.

“They forget. They forget who this man is or who people are, they’re just prisoners of the moment right now. So I’m glad he reminded everybody why he’s the best, why he’s the one, why he’s Francis Ngannou.”

TOP STORIES

Prayers. Bellator fighter Daiane Silva remains hospitalized after a weight cut gone wrong.

For Kobe. Francis Ngannou had a lot to prove not just to the world, but to himself.

DMF. Max Holloway questions whether Ilia Topuria understands what it means to be a “BMF.”

Troll. Conor McGregor wasn’t impressed with what he saw at PFL Battle of the Giants.

Props. Jon Jones only had praise for Ngannou’s MMA comeback.

Statement. Anthony Hernandez proved he was on another level with a drubbing of Michel Pereira in the UFC Vegas 99 main event.

VIDEO STEW

Battle of the Giants post-show.

Relive Saturday’s PFL event with MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Jed Meshew.

Max Holloway.

PFL fighters break down one of the biggest events in league history.

Big Tom breaks down the UFC 308 main event.

Countdown.

UFC marathon.

FLAVOR IN YOUR EAR

On to the Next One. The Best Friends Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee guess what’s next for PFL star Francis Ngannou and the big winners from UFC Vegas 99.

SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

Love.

Respect, always.

Roasted.

Didn’t have Nicksick rubbing shoulders with Ronaldo on my 2024 bingo card.

Wild.

Yes, this is still happening.

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rinat Fakhretdinov (22-1-1) vs. Carlos Leal (21-5); UFC 308, Oct. 26

FINAL THOUGHTS

Francis Ngannou back in MMA? Just feels right, man.

No one would have blamed Ngannou for taking 2024 off given the awful tragedy he and his family are going through, so seeing him come back and look like his old self, even if for just one night, it was emotional. As excited as we all are to see what’s next for him, let’s not forget to appreciate the moment for what it is.

Take care of yourselves and each other out there.

EXIT POLL

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