Francis Ngannou will make his MMA return on the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano MVP card

Francis Ngannou will return to mixed martial arts after a 19-month absence when he faces Brazilian Philipp Linz on May 16.

The five-round heavyweight bout will be part of the inaugural MMA fight card for Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), headlined by Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano in Los Angeles.

Former UFC champion Ngannou has not fought in MMA since October 2024, when he stopped Cameroonian Renan Ferreira in the first round to win the PFL Super Fights heavyweight championship.

“While the world was busy talking, I was busy improving,” Ngannou said.

“Silence should not be confused with absence, it is the sound of a predator approaching in the distance.

“Returning to the cage isn’t just a return — it’s a reclamation. My return to mixed martial arts required a stage that matched the scale of my ambition, and partnering with MVP to bring this event to Netflix ensures the entire world gets to see it.”

Ngannou’s exit from the UFC in January 2023 was a massive moment in MMA as one of the sport’s biggest stars chose to step away from the biggest promotion in the world.

The 39-year-old joined the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in May 2023, but has only fought once for the mixed martial arts promotion.

His profile rose dramatically when he came close to beating Tyson Fury in a boxing contest in October 2023, and went on to face Anthony Joshua in 2024, which ended in a knockout defeat.

He parted ways with the PFL this week and it was announced on Monday that he would join reigning MVP Jake Paul.

“Francis Ngannou is without a doubt the best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world, and his addition creates star power on one card that has never been seen before in the sport,” said Paul and Nakisa Bedarian, co-founders of MVP.

Lenz, 40, is a former PFL heavyweight champion and UFC veteran who has not fought since exiting the UFC on a four-fight winning streak in March 2024.