Aspinall Questions Ferreira Before Ngannou’s PFL Debut
On October 15, 2024, UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall questioned whether Renan Ferreira was an elite opponent for Francis Ngannou, who was preparing for his PFL debut. The bout took place four days later.
What Aspinall Said
In an interview with Ariel Helwani before the event, Aspinall said Ferreira was “not elite” and argued that the UFC had the sport’s elite heavyweights. He also questioned how Ngannou could be called the world’s best while competing outside the UFC. These were Aspinall’s views ahead of the fight, rather than a settled ranking of every heavyweight in either promotion.
Ferreira’s Record Before the Fight
Ferreira entered as the reigning 2023 PFL heavyweight champion, having stopped Denis Goltsov in the second round. He then knocked out Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader in 21 seconds in February 2024. Those results made him a major PFL heavyweight, even as Aspinall disputed whether they established him as elite overall.
Ngannou Wins the PFL Super Fights Title
On October 19, Ngannou defeated Ferreira by first-round knockout at 3:32, using ground-and-pound after a takedown. The win made Ngannou the inaugural PFL Super Fights heavyweight champion. The result settled their matchup; a single fight could not settle the broader argument about which promotion has the deeper heavyweight roster.
Sources
- Sports Illustrated — Aspinall’s criticism before Ngannou vs. Ferreira
- PFL — Ferreira wins the 2023 heavyweight championship
- PFL — Ferreira stops Ryan Bader in 21 seconds
- PFL — Ngannou defeats Ferreira for inaugural Super Fights title
