Cameroonian Francis Ngannou will face Brazilian Philipe Lins on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. The event, broadcast live on Netflix, will be the very first MMA fight broadcast globally on the platform.
Francis Ngannou’s return to the octagon is now official. The former heavyweight champion will make his grand return to MMA on Saturday, May 16, 2026, against the formidable Brazilian puncher Philipe Lins. The fight will take place at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, in an unprecedented event organized by Most Valuable Promotions and broadcast live on Netflix.
This evening promises to be historic as it will simply be the very first MMA fight broadcast live worldwide on the streaming platform. A revolution for this sport which continues to gain popularity and a new global showcase for the “Predator”, a true combat icon.
The Cameroonian will share the bill in a prestigious Double Main Event with a legendary duel between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, two pioneers of mixed martial arts. The event will be accessible at no additional cost to Netflix’s more than 300 million subscribers, offering unprecedented global exposure to MMA.
After the record audience of 108 million households reached during the fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, the organizers hope to shatter streaming records. And for Francis Ngannou, this return marks a new stage in a career that has already become legendary.
Born in Batié, Cameroon, Francis Ngannou has established himself as one of the greatest heavyweights in MMA history. A former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion, he won the belt in 2021 by defeating Stipe Miocic by KO. Known for his record power, the “Predator” has also dominated major opponents like Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, and Cain Velasquez. An African icon of the sport, he has made history by becoming one of the most publicized and influential fighters of his generation.
