Francis Ngannou is already making headlines after reportedly parting ways with the PFL. The former UFC heavyweight champion has stayed away from the cage for quite some time, and honestly, many fans have almost forgotten what it looks like to watch the Cameroonian knockout artist compete. Now the MMA world is buzzing again. Recently, a report started circulating that Ngannou will return in May on the undercard of the blockbuster women’s MMA fight between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano.

So, as excitement continues to build around the event, fans have been waiting to see who will face Francis Ngannou in his comeback fight. According to the report, a former UFC fighter will face Ngannou, whom many consider one of the unluckiest competitors in the promotion. Recently, the MMA news page La Sueur on X revealed additional details about Ngannou’s next fight under Jake Paul’s promotion.

Francis Ngannou set to face former UFC star under Jake Paul’s MVP

“Francis Ngannou back in MMA! He will face Philipe Lins (18-5) on May 16. The fight will take place on the same card as Rousey vs Carano, and the event will be broadcast on Netflix!”

Philipe Lins, now 40, first built his reputation on the Brazilian MMA circuit and later made a strong run in the PFL. After that, he joined the UFC and competed in the promotion’s light heavyweight division from 2020 to 2024. His UFC run started with setbacks, as he lost his first two fights. However, he bounced back and won four of his next bouts.

Still, despite that momentum, the UFC released him after his victory over Ion Cutelaba at UFC 299. On paper, Lins holds a respectable record. However, his UFC run also included a long list of unfortunate circumstances.

According to Tapology, Philipe Lins had 10 fights canceled during his time in the UFC. Those canceled matchups included scheduled bouts against Ovince Saint Preux, Maxim Grishin, Azamat Murzakanov, and Ben Rothwell. In many cases, injuries or medical clearance issues forced those cancellations. However, the situation was not entirely Lins’ fault.

He joined the UFC relatively late in his career at around 35 years old, which meant he had already moved past the typical prime years for many fighters. Naturally, recovery becomes harder with age, and that likely contributed to the repeated disruptions in his schedule. Because of that long list of canceled fights, many fans now label Philipe Lins as one of the unluckiest fighters to compete in the UFC.

Now, however, Lins may finally get another chance inside the cage, as he is expected to face Francis Ngannou after nearly two years away from MMA. However, the situation still raises several questions. ‘The predator’ stayed inactive for a long period despite having one fight left on his PFL contract.

Interestingly, his return to MMA, rather than boxing, also raises eyebrows. In the past, Ngannou earned his biggest purses from boxing matches, but now Jake Paul’s promotion appears to offer him more than he ever earned from PFL or even his boxing fights.

Earlier this year, reports suggested that PFL and Ngannou did not maintain the best partnership. Then, news of his departure broke, and shortly after, details of his next fight followed. Unsurprisingly, this development has reignited discussions about his career, especially considering UFC CEO Dana White’s previous comments about Francis Ngannou.

Dana White sets the record straight on Ngannou’s UFC return

 “Francis is all about the money,” Dana White said a few years back, warning the PFL about Francis Ngannou, whom White often “played the good guy” with, prioritizing his own interests over the fighters’. And now, the African star’s latest move seems to confirm that on paper.

Back in 2023, Ngannou left the UFC before completing his contract, citing his ‘freedom,’ and signed with the PFL for $8 million per fight, giving himself significant leverage. However, he fought only once. Then, last year, when Donald Trump announced the White House event, Ngannou’s team hinted at a potential UFC return. But later, Dana White crushed those hopes.

“There was nothing that made me happier than throwing that guy over to the f—–g PFL,” UFC president White tol The Mac Life. “Let me tell you what, if we let guys go, feel bad for the f—–g company that gets them.

We let them go for a f—–g reason. I don’t have to let anybody go. I don’t want to be in business with guys that I don’t like and that I don’t think are good guys.”

With the UFC door currently closed, MVP offers Francis Ngannou the ideal platform to return, as he and Jake Paul developed a professional relationship during their PFL days, having joined the promotion around the same time in 2023.