A new year is here, and that means it’s time for Combat Press to take a look back at the best of MMA in 2024. In the coming days, Combat Press will announce its award winners in multiple categories, covering everything from the action in the cage to the biggest stories surrounding the sport.
Sitting out of mixed martial arts for over two and a half years to pursue high profile boxing matches, Francis Ngannou had a lot of questions to answer as he made his way to the PFL Smart Cage in Oct. 2024 to face Renan Ferreira. “The Predator” left the UFC as the promotion’s heavyweight champion after contract negotiations came to a stalemate. Unwilling to compromise on his principles, Ngannou would ultimately sign with the PFL, an organization that gave him the freedom to compete in both MMA and boxing. He would take two boxing matches during his MMA hiatus, coming up short via decision to Tyson Fury and then being knocked out by Anthony Joshua.
After time away from the sport and suffering such a devastating knockout, experts and fans alike were unsure if Ngannou would be the same fighter he once was when he returned to the cage. To put it mildly, he proved the doubters wrong. In what was billed as the “Battle of the Giants”, Ngannou needed less than a round to dispatch the dangerous Ferreira. After three minutes and thirty-two seconds the referee would halt the fight after Ngannou reined down thunderous punches as fans watched in awe of his power. It was clear, he is back and he may not have an equal in the sport of mixed martial arts. For overcoming the adversity he faced in the boxing ring and then returning with such success to MMA, it is clear that Francis Ngannou deserves the title as 2024 Combat Press Comeback Fighter of the Year.