Francis Ngannou is set for a return to the cage. The former UFC champion will face Philipe Lins on the May 16 MVP MMA event headlined by Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano.

Ngannou departed UFC in January 2023, stripped of the heavyweight title in the process. Ngannou won the title with a knockout of Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 and successfully defended the belt against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. Ngannou and UFC entered into a lengthy round of negotiations but could not come to a deal, leading to Ngannou’s departure.

Ngannou went on to sign with PFL but also sought to cash in on his dreams of fighting in major boxing events. This led to an October 2023 fight with then-WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. Ngannou nearly shocked the world, knocking Fury down and losing a close split decision against one of the best heavyweights of the era. Ngannou’s performance was impressive enough that he was given a top 10 ranking by the WBC.

Things did not go as well in Ngannou’s second trip to the boxing ring. Ngannou was brutally knocked out by former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in their March 2024 bout.

Ngannou would only fight once in PFL, easily dispatching of Renan Ferreira to win the symbolic “super fights championship” in October 2024. PFL announced on March 6 that they had released Ngannou from his contract, leading to immediate speculation as to where he would land.

We now have that answer, as Ngannou will face another former PFL and UFC fighter in Lins.

“While the world was busy talking, I was busy evolving,” Ngannou said in a press release. “Silence shouldn’t be mistaken for absence-it’s the sound of a predator closing the distance. Stepping back into the cage isn’t just a return; it’s a reclamation.”  

After starting his career at light heavyweight, including a 3-3 stint in Bellator, Lins went to PFL, where he campaigned at heavyweight, ultimately winning the 2018 PFL heavyweight tournament.

After his tournament victory, Lins signed with UFC and lost his first two fights before dropping back to light heavyweight. That drop appeared to pay off as Lins won four consecutive fights before being released from his UFC contract.

Lins has not fought since his final UFC bout at UFC 299 in March 2024.