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Francis Ngannou to make MMA return, PFL debut in October

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Francis Ngannou to make MMA return, PFL debut in October

“The Predator” is back. For the first time in 33 months, Francis Ngannou will make the walk to an octagon.

The former undisputed UFC heavyweight champion will return on Oct. 19 to face PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira for the PFL Super Fight belt in Ngannou’s debut with the promotion.

Since defending his UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane in January 2022, Ngannou has endured more than two years of negotiations, triumphs and heartbreak.

After spending 2022 recovering from surgery and waiting out the end of his contract to become the most sought-after free agent in MMA history, he spent the first half of 2023 negotiating a deal with the PFL that would allow him to compete as a boxer.


Francis Ngannou knocks down Tyson Fury in their bout in November 2023. (Photo: Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)

And then — after a world-class performance against lineal heavyweight champ Tyson Fury and a loss against Anthony Joshua — Ngannou suffered tragedy when his 15-month-old son died in April.

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On Monday, Ngannou told The Athletic the loss left him with “a lot of insecurity, a lot of uncertainty,” and compared it to someone popping his life with a needle.

With Wednesday’s announcement, the 37-year-old said he has eagerly returned to the normalcy of his professional career.

And even after establishing himself as one of the most feared strikers in MMA history, he talked like a fighter hungry to prove himself.

“I have to prove that I can win this fight,” he said.

“The purpose (of this sport) is competing, giving your best every day. So yes I think I have something to prove, that I can still give my best.”

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As for what kind of fighter fans can expect nearly three years after his last MMA bout, Ngannou was bluntly simple: Much of what they’ve already seen.

“Just the same thing,” he said, later adding, “I think I show up doing everything to win the fight, knowing that I didn’t leave any stone unturned and that’s what I’m expecting to bring.”

If he’s right, he could change the landscape of the industry. The PFL has long been seen as a second-tier, if not third-tier, promotion to the UFC. Ngannou debuting with the same one-punch power that turned UFC’s heavyweight division upside down would give the PFL its most important moment.

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Ferreira will be a formidable first opponent. The 6-foot-8, 34-year-old Brazillian is 13-3 and coming off a 21-second TKO of Ryan Bader in February for the “PFL vs. Bellator Champion” Super Belt. Before that, Ferreira defeated Denis Goltsov to win the 2023 PFL Heavyweight Tournament.

In an MMA era when “superfights” and long-hyped returns cause opponents to turn down years of other opportunities, such as Michael Chandler waiting for Conor McGregor in the UFC, this bout marks something different.

Ferreira took a calculated risk in sitting out the 2024 PFL season while he waited for Ngannou’s return after earning the shot by defeating Bader. He told MMA Fighting in March, “I’m very happy for this opportunity, and I hope it happens soon.”

Ngannou doesn’t talk lowly of Ferreira’s patience, comparing it to his own situation with becoming a free agent.

“When you have that opportunity, you just jump on it,” Ngannou told The Athletic. “Just as I went after my own opportunity in leaving the UFC when I chose that was necessary, I did what I had to do for my own opportunity.”

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In the 15 months since signing with the PFL, Ngannou’s tactic of waiting out his contract hasn’t been duplicated by many others. But he doesn’t lose hope in changing the industry and believes his risk in 2022 built MMA-wide awareness of how fighter contracts work.

He even said some fighters have approached him for guidance on how to negotiate their future deals.

“Rome wasn’t built in one day. Change isn’t going to come around from one day or one year, maybe not five years,” he said. “But you can be certain that a lot of people today make moves and decisions using that as an example.”

He also doesn’t lose any sleep over the years that he did lose.

“I wasn’t missing anything. … My decision was for what I wanted and I what I think I should have done for me, so I don’t have regret.”

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“At the end of the day, look at me. I think things played out for me just perfectly.”

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(Top photo courtesy of PFL)

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Anthony Richardson free to seek trade after injury setbacks amid Colts’ shift to Daniel Jones

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Anthony Richardson free to seek trade after injury setbacks amid Colts’ shift to Daniel Jones

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Anthony Richardson Sr.’s future in Indianapolis faces more uncertainty than ever. 

The Indianapolis Colts granted Anthony Richardson, the team that used the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on the quarterback, permission to explore a trade. His agent, Deiric Jackson, confirmed the latest development in the 23-year-old’s tumultuous career to ESPN on Thursday.

Veteran quarterback Daniel Jones beat out Richardson in a preseason competition for the starting job. Jones made the most of another opportunity as an NFL starter, helping the Colts win eight of their first 10 games of the 2025 regular season. 

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson heads off the field after an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

However, his season was ultimately derailed by an Achilles injury. The setback came two years after he tore an ACL with the New York Giants. The Colts appear ready to move forward with Jones, clouding Richardson’s future in Indianapolis.

Jones is set to become a free agent in March, meaning the Colts must either use the franchise tag or sign him to a new deal. Richardson has started just 15 games in three seasons with the Colts, his tenure largely shaped by injuries. 

A shoulder surgery limited Richardson to four games during his rookie campaign, while a series of setbacks cost him four games in 2024. 

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) looks for an open receiver during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)

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Richardson suffered what was described as a “freak pregame incident” during warmups last season, landing him on injured reserve after attempting just two passes in two games in 2025. He has thrown 11 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in his NFL career. 

Colts general manager Chris Ballard said Tuesday that the vision problems stemming from Richardson’s orbital fracture last October are “trending in the right direction.” He added that Richardson has been “cleared to play.”

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) celebrates his touchdown against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

Riley Leonard, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is expected to return to the Colts next season.

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When asked about Richardson’s standing with the Colts moving ahead, Ballard replied, “I still believe in Anthony.”

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Prep talk: Freshman golfer William Hudson of St. John Bosco wins Servite Invitational

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Prep talk: Freshman golfer William Hudson of St. John Bosco wins Servite Invitational

William Hudson, a 14-year-old freshman golfer, shot 71 on Monday at Western Hills Country Club in Chino Hills to win the Servite Invitational.

“It was very important to me and my school,” Hudson said.

Some think it’s the first time a St. John Bosco student won an invitational title.

Hudson is a straight-A student who picked up his first golf club when he was 3. He has a daily routine involving practicing at 6 a.m. before heading to school. He’s also enrolled in a school entrepreneur program that involves taking classes at a junior college that will qualify for college credits.

“They are long days, but I get through it,” Hudson said.

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He comes from a family that enjoys golf. His great-grandfather played until his death at 98 last year.

“I love how it can take me to interesting places and meet interesting people,” Hudson said. “I can play for the rest of my life. It’s a lifelong sport.”

It’s looking like another strong year for golfers in Southern California, with several individual champions returning, including Jaden Soong of St. Francis and Grant Leary of Crespi.

Now Hudson has thrust himself into the conversation.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

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Dashcam video shows former WWE executive Vince McMahon rear-ending vehicle on Connecticut highway

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Dashcam video shows former WWE executive Vince McMahon rear-ending vehicle on Connecticut highway

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Police have released new video showing former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon speeding before crashing his 2024 Bentley Continental GT into another luxury car on a Connecticut highway last summer.

McMahon appeared to be followed by a state trooper in Westport moments ahead of the eventual collision. McMahon’s vehicle reached speeds of more than 100 mph, state police said.

A trooper’s dashcam video showed McMahon accelerating and then braking too late to avoid rear-ending a BMW. The car McMahon was driving then swerved into a guardrail and careened back across the highway. A cloud of dirt, apparently mixed with vehicle debris, was visible in the immediate area of the crash.

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WWE owner Vince McMahon enters the arena during WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium on Apr 3, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports)

“Why were you driving all over 100 mph?” a state trooper asked McMahon after catching up to the wrecked Bentley.

“I got my granddaughter’s birthday,” McMahon replied, explaining he was on his way to see her. The encounter was recorded on police bodycam video.

No serious injuries were reported in the July 24 crash, which happened the same day former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan died of a heart attack in Florida.

In an image taken from Connecticut State Police police bodycam video, Vince McMahon is questioned in his car after an accident on July 24, 2025, in Westport, Connecticut. (Connecticut State Police via The Associated Press)

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Aside from the damage to the rear of the BMW, another vehicle driving on the opposite side of the parkway was struck by flying debris. The driver of that third car happened to be wearing a WWE shirt, police video suggested.

McMahon was cited for reckless driving and following too closely. In October, a state judge allowed him to enter a pretrial probation program that could erase the charges if he completes it successfully.

He was also ordered to make a $1,000 charitable contribution. His attorney, Mark Sherman, called the crash simply an “accident.”

“Not every car accident is a crime,” Sherman said. “Vince’s primary concern during this case was for the other drivers and is appreciative that the court saw this more of an accident than a crime that needed to be prosecuted.”

Vince McMahon attends a press conference to announce that WWE Wrestlemania 29 will be held at MetLife Stadium in 2013 at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 16, 2012 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  (Michael N. Todaro/Getty Images)

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State police said a trooper was trying to catch up to McMahon on the parkway and clock his speed before pulling him over. They said the incident was not a pursuit, which happens when police chase someone trying to flee officers. They also said it did not appear McMahon was trying to escape.

“I’m trying to catch up to you, and you keep taking off,” State Police Det. Maxwell Robins said in the video. 

“No, no no. I’m not trying to outrun you,” McMahon clarified.

An accident information summary provided to the media shortly after the crash did not mention that a trooper was following McMahon.

The trooper’s bodycam video also shows him asking McMahon whether he was looking at his phone when the crash happened. McMahon said he was not and added he hadn’t driven his car in a long time.

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After Robins tells McMahon that his car is fast, McMahon replies, “Yeah, too (expletive) fast.”

Fox News Digital submitted a public records request to obtain the police video, which was first acquired by The Sun.

McMahon stepped down as WWE’s CEO in 2022 amid a company investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. He also resigned as executive chairman of the board of directors of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE, in 2024, a day after a former WWE employee filed a sexual abuse lawsuit against him. McMahon has denied the allegations. The lawsuit remains pending.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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