Ngannou Knocked Out Lins in His MMA Return
Francis Ngannou knocked out Philipe Lins at 4:31 of round one on May 16, 2026, at MVP MMA’s Rousey vs. Carano event in Inglewood, California. The heavyweight contest marked Ngannou’s return to mixed martial arts after a two-year absence.
A first-round finish
Ngannou faced Brazilian heavyweight Lins on the main card at Intuit Dome. The former UFC champion used his power to land the decisive shots and bring the contest to an end before the opening round expired.
The official result was a knockout at 4:31 of round one. Lins was unable to continue after the finishing sequence, and the referee stepped in to stop the bout.
The contest was Ngannou’s first MMA appearance since January 2024. He had boxed in the interim, making the matchup a return to the sport where he had previously held the UFC heavyweight title.
A major name on the Netflix card
The fight was part of MVP’s first MMA event, headlined by Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. It was one of several notable matchups on a card streamed live by Netflix.
Lins had previously competed in the UFC and PFL, including a PFL heavyweight championship win. Ngannou’s quick knockout ended the bout well before the scheduled five-round main-event distance.
Netflix and MVP confirm the first-round result. The official event listings record a knockout rather than a decision or submission.
