Francis Ngannou has expressed feeling `powerless and vulnerable` following the tragic death of his young son. However, this personal tragedy has become his `biggest motivation` as he prepares for his upcoming MMA fight against Renan Ferreira.
In April, Ngannou shared on social media the heartbreaking news of his 15-month-old son Kobe`s passing, which drew an outpouring of sympathy from the MMA and boxing communities.
While grappling with this profound loss, the 37-year-old fighter has decided to return to MMA competition. This time, his primary focus is to honor Kobe`s memory, rather than solely pursuing personal accolades.
Ngannou stated, “This is an incredibly difficult time for me. I need to keep active and stay in the zone where I belong. More importantly, I need to continue fighting for my son, for Kobe.”
He continued, “The last few months have been the hardest of my life. Losing my son has made me question everything, even my desire to fight again.”
“But I want to do something meaningful in his memory. His life will not be a reason for me to quit, but rather a source of motivation and the reason I fight.”
The former UFC heavyweight champion admitted to struggling with overwhelming grief.
“It`s not about considering retirement,” he clarified. “It`s about the profound thoughts you have in such circumstances. You realize how fragile life is. You feel immense pain, powerless, and useless. You question your existence and the significance of everything.”
“It`s not that I was thinking of retiring, but I`m dealing with a situation that was completely unexpected.”
Ngannou described the depth of his emotional turmoil, “It`s easy to overcome challenges when they are external. But this is different; it wounds your soul.”
“I can`t compare this to anything I`ve ever known or experienced. It`s completely different. It`s hard to articulate, but suddenly you feel like you`ve never truly overcome anything in your life.”
“You feel more vulnerable than ever before. This is a unique kind of pain.”
Ngannou is set to face Renan `Problema` Ferreira on October 19 for the Professional Fighters League Super Fight belt.
“I need to discover that through fighting,” Ngannou responded when asked if he can mentally transition back to being an MMA fighter.
“There`s only one way to find out, but I believe I now have a different and greater motivation in my son.”
“I used to fight for many reasons, but I don`t think I`ve ever had a reason as significant and purposeful as this.”
After dominating MMA as the heavyweight champion, Ngannou surprised many by switching to boxing. He gave Tyson Fury a tough fight, losing a close decision, before suffering a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua.
Now, Ngannou returns to the familiar territory of the MMA cage, having recently resumed training.
“I`ve been involved in mixed martial arts for over ten years, so it feels like home. It`s where I`m most comfortable and understand the most,” he explained.
“Rankings are determined by people, and the sport is constantly evolving.”
“I`m not one to judge, but I believe this fight can serve as a reminder of who I am.”
The co-main event for Ngannou vs. Ferreira will feature Cris Cyborg, considered the greatest female MMA fighter, against Larissa Pacheco, a two-division PFL champion, in a featherweight super fight.
