‘Problema’ continues to have problems having his hand raised inside the cage.
Renan Ferreira welcomed Francis Ngannou back to MMA in October 2024, a high-profile fight that he earned by becoming the 2023 PFL heavyweight champion.
The Brazilian’s win over Ryan Bader at the start of 2024 extended his winning streak to four and left some calling him a legitimate threat to Ngannou.
But that run is now a distant memory for Ferreira after what took place at PFL Sioux Falls on Saturday night.
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Renan Ferreira gets finished for the second time since losing to Francis Ngannou
After being quickly stopped by ‘The Predator’ two years ago, Ferreira did not return to action for 14 months.
When he did, it was a similar story for the Brazilian, who was once again finished inside one round. Ferreira was submitted by Vadim Nemkov in their fight for the inaugural PFL heavyweight title last December.
‘Problema’ was looking to bounce back on May 2, as he battled Sergei Bilostenniy at the PFL event staged at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
But while there were big wins for the likes of Logan Storley, Gadzhi Rabadanov, Simeon Powell, and Taila Santos, Ferreira was unable to join them in the winners’ circle.
Instead, the former title winner was brutally knocked out by a devastating right hand from Bilostenniy in round three.
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With that, Ferreira’s wait for a first win in over two years goes on.
The result also was not ideal for Ngannou ahead of his return to the cage, as his last MMA win has not aged as well as he might have hoped.
The ex-UFC heavyweight king will enter the cage for the first time since beating Ferreira on May 16. On the undercard of Ronda Rousey’s comeback on Netflix, Ngannou is set to fight Philipe Lins.
Russia’s Bilostenniy, meanwhile, is now 15-4 as a pro and has won five of his last six fights under the PFL and Bellator banners. His one loss in the SmartCage came against former interim Bellator heavyweight champion Valentin Moldavsky.
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