Francis Ngannou is stepping into the spotlight on May 16, but even a former UFC heavyweight champion knows when it's time to sit back and enjoy the show. Sharing a card with some of MMA's biggest legends, Ngannou is just hoping he gets a front-row seat to the action—literally.
Netflix is making history with its first-ever MMA event, headlined by the long-awaited return of Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. The card is stacked, featuring former UFC star Nate Diaz taking on BKFC's resident knockout artist Mike Perry, and Ngannou himself stepping into the cage against Philipe Lins in a heavyweight clash. When asked for his pick in the main event, Ngannou didn't hesitate.
"Well, my take is that it's a great fight," Ngannou shared on the Pound 4 Pound podcast. "Even for 10 years there has been debate around it, and it still gets more interest and more attraction than a fight of people that are still active. There has always been a question of 'If Gina… if Ronda… if, if, if…' and now it's happening. I think we are just going to enjoy the show. But who am I picking? I have to give Ronda on this one."
On paper, Rousey is the logical favorite. She reigned as UFC bantamweight champion in her prime and is five years younger than Carano. Both women are coming off lengthy layoffs—Rousey last fought in 2016, Carano in 2009—so even in that department, Rousey has the edge. Carano, alongside Cris Cyborg, is credited with pioneering women's MMA in the late 2000s, while Rousey turned that movement into a global phenomenon when she debuted in the UFC in 2013. How either fighter performs when the cage door closes is anyone's guess, but Ngannou likes what he's seen from Rousey in the lead-up.
"I think Ronda on this one," Ngannou said. "Even though Gina seems to be very calm, very prepared, it looks like Ronda still has that fire. You can see at the press conference, picking it up, I'm like, 'Hold on a minute.' Like, step back."
As for the co-main event, it's still unclear whether Ngannou vs. Lins or Diaz vs. Perry will take that spot. But one thing is certain: Ngannou wants to be seated somewhere he can watch Diaz and Perry throw down, whether it's before or after his own fight. For fans gearing up for this historic night, it's the perfect time to gear up in fight-ready apparel—because when legends collide, you'll want to look the part.