Career Timeline of Francis Ngannou: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Francis Ngannou made an impact.

Francis Ngannou is a Cameroonian-French mixed martial artist and professional boxer. He is the inaugural PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Champion. He previously competed in the UFC from 2015 to 2022, reigning as the UFC Heavyweight Champion upon his departure. Renowned for his exceptional punching power, Ngannou is considered one of the most dangerous punchers in UFC heavyweight history, with numerous first-round knockouts. He is also regarded as the lineal heavyweight champion in mixed martial arts.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

2004: Departure of B.J. Penn from UFC

In 2004, B.J. Penn left the UFC, making Francis Ngannou the first reigning champion to leave the UFC since B.J. Penn.

November 2013: Start of MMA Career

In November 2013, Francis Ngannou started his MMA career and fought mostly in the French promotion 100% Fight, as well as other regional promotions in Europe.

December 2015: UFC Debut

On December 19, 2015, Francis Ngannou made his UFC debut against Luis Henrique at UFC on Fox 17, winning via knockout in the second round.

2015: Ngannou Joins UFC

In 2015, Francis Ngannou joined the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and competed in the heavyweight division.

April 2016: Victory Against Curtis Blaydes

On April 10, 2016, Francis Ngannou faced Curtis Blaydes at UFC Fight Night 86 and won via TKO due to doctor stoppage at the end of the second round.

July 2016: TKO Victory Over Bojan Mihajlović

On July 23, 2016, Francis Ngannou faced Bojan Mihajlović at UFC on Fox 20 and won via TKO in the first round.

December 2016: Submission Win Over Anthony Hamilton

On December 9, 2016, Francis Ngannou faced Anthony Hamilton at UFC Fight Night 102 and won by submission in the first round, earning his first UFC Performance of the Night bonus.

January 2017: TKO Victory Over Andrei Arlovski

On January 28, 2017, Francis Ngannou faced Andrei Arlovski at UFC on Fox 23 and won via TKO in the first round, earning his second Performance of the Night bonus.

September 2017: Fight Cancellation Against Junior dos Santos

In September 2017, Francis Ngannou was expected to face Junior dos Santos at UFC 215; however, Dos Santos was pulled from the match due to a potential USADA violation, and Ngannou was subsequently removed from the card.

December 2017: Knockout Victory Over Alistair Overeem

On December 2, 2017, Francis Ngannou faced Alistair Overeem at UFC 218 and won via knockout in the first round. After the bout, Ngannou signed a new, eight-fight contract with the UFC.

January 2018: UFC Heavyweight Championship Loss

On January 20, 2018, Francis Ngannou faced Stipe Miocic for the UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 220 but lost the fight via unanimous decision.

July 2018: Loss to Derrick Lewis

On July 7, 2018, Francis Ngannou faced Derrick Lewis at UFC 226 and lost the fight via unanimous decision. The fight was criticized for the lack of offense from both competitors.

November 2018: Rematch Victory Against Curtis Blaydes

On November 24, 2018, Francis Ngannou faced Curtis Blaydes in a rematch at UFC Fight Night 141 and won the fight via TKO early in the first round, earning him a Performance of the Night bonus.

February 2019: Victory Against Cain Velasquez

On February 17, 2019, Francis Ngannou headlined UFC's inaugural event on ESPN, UFC on ESPN 1, against Cain Velasquez and won via knockout in the first round.

June 2019: TKO Victory Against Junior dos Santos

On June 29, 2019, Francis Ngannou faced Junior dos Santos at UFC on ESPN 3 and won the fight via technical knockout in the first round, earning him the Performance of the Night award.

March 2020: Initial Scheduling of Jairzinho Rozenstruik Fight

In March 2020, Francis Ngannou was initially scheduled to face Jairzinho Rozenstruik on March 28, 2020, at UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. Rozenstruik; however, the event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 2020: Rescheduling of Jairzinho Rozenstruik Fight

In April 2020, the fight between Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik was rescheduled for April 18, 2020, at UFC 249.

May 2020: Knockout Victory Against Jairzinho Rozenstruik

On May 9, 2020, Francis Ngannou faced Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 249 and won via knockout just 20 seconds into the first round, earning him the Performance of the Night award.

March 2021: UFC Heavyweight Championship Victory

On March 27, 2021, Francis Ngannou faced Stipe Miocic in a rematch for the UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 260 and won via knockout in the second round, earning him the Performance of the Night award.

January 2022: Title Defense Victory Against Ciryl Gane

On January 22, 2022, Francis Ngannou faced Ciryl Gane for his first title defense at UFC 270 and won the fight by unanimous decision, despite injuring his knee ligaments three and a half weeks prior.

2022: Departure from UFC

In 2022, Francis Ngannou departed from the UFC, holding the UFC Heavyweight Champion title at the time.

January 2023: Stripping of UFC Heavyweight Championship

On January 14, 2023, Francis Ngannou was stripped of the UFC Heavyweight Championship after failing to reach a new contract agreement with the UFC, becoming a free agent after his contract expired in mid-December. His requests for health insurance and fighter advocacy were denied.

May 2023: Signing with PFL

On May 16, 2023, Francis Ngannou signed a multi-fight deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), competing in their pay-per-view "super fight" division. He negotiated guaranteed payments for his opponents and joined PFL's advisory board and PFL Africa league.

October 2023: Boxing Match Against Tyson Fury

On October 28, 2023, Francis Ngannou faced Tyson Fury in a professional boxing match in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He knocked down Fury but lost via split decision.

2023: Renan Ferreira as Heavyweight Champion

In 2023, Renan Ferreira was the PFL Heavyweight Champion and PFL Champions vs. Bellator Champions title holder.

January 2024: Beneficiaries of Francis Ngannou Foundation

In January 2024, the Francis Ngannou Foundation claimed to have 26,000 beneficiaries. The foundation runs the first MMA gym in Cameroon, donates educational materials, and sets up computer labs in underserved villages.

February 2024: Announcement of MMA Return at PFL vs. Bellator

On February 22, 2024, it was announced that Francis Ngannou would make his MMA return against the winner of Renan Ferreira vs Ryan Bader heavyweight bout at PFL vs. Bellator on February 24, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

March 2024: Loss to Anthony Joshua

On March 8, 2024, Francis Ngannou faced Anthony Joshua in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and lost by second-round knockout.

October 2024: Victory for the PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Championship

On October 19, 2024, Francis Ngannou faced Renan Ferreira at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants and won the fight by knockout via ground punches in the first round for the PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Championship.