Ngannou Vs. Lins Added To MVP’s Rousey Vs. Carano
Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Netflix today announced that former MMA heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou (18-3, 4 Submissions, 13 KOs) vs. Brazil’s Philipe Lins (18-5, 4 Submissions, 9 KOs) will face off in a colossal bout for MVP’s Rousey vs. Carano, Ngannou vs. Lins, on Saturday, May 16 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, CA, and streaming live globally, only on Netflix at no additional cost to its 325+ million members. The bout marks Ngannou’s highly anticipated return to professional MMA competition following his crossover into global boxing events and his dominant PFL Championship victory in 2024. Ngannou vs. Lins will be a professionally-sanctioned heavyweight bout contested under the Unified Rules of MMA over five, 5-minute rounds using 4oz gloves, inside a hexagon cage. Ngannou vs. Lins joins a historic moment in combat sports as MVP’s inaugural MMA event and Netflix’s first-ever live MMA broadcast. The matchup pits two of the most dangerous knockout artists in MMA against one another, uniting former UFC world champion Francis Ngannou with 2018 PFL heavyweight tournament winner Philipe Lins in a clash of proven finishers whose combined 22 knockout victories have made them two of the most feared power punchers in the sport.
Tickets for Rousey vs. Carano and Ngannou vs. Lins will go on sale Tuesday, March 10 at 10am PT/1pm ET on Ticketmaster.com. The event will also feature the return of MVP’s exclusive VIP experiences, including the MVP Owner’s Experience™.
Ngannou and Lins will meet face-to-face at the Rousey vs. Carano Kickoff Press Conference on Tuesday, March 10 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. The press conference will be hosted by renowned combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani. All media interested in being credentialed to cover the press conference must apply HERE. The press conference will also live stream on Netflix’s YouTube and MVP’s YouTube.
Francis Ngannou is a Cameroonian and French professional mixed martial artist and boxer. A former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Ngannou—nicknamed “The Predator”—is widely regarded as one of the most devastating punchers in combat sports history. During his UFC career, he recorded seven knockouts within the first two minutes of the opening round, cementing his reputation as one of the most dangerous finishers in the heavyweight division. Ngannou has also been very influential in expanding opportunities for fighters in Africa, as he aims to help develop the next generation of African MMA talent by building pathways, resources, and global visibility for athletes from the region.
“While the world was busy talking, I was busy evolving,” said Francis Ngannou. “Silence shouldn’t be mistaken for absence—it’s the sound of a predator closing the distance. Stepping back into the cage isn’t just a return; it’s a reclamation. My return to MMA demanded a stage that matched the scale of my ambition, and partnering with MVP to bring this event to Netflix ensures the entire world is watching. I am ready for this new chapter, and I cannot wait to entertain my fans again and remind the world exactly who I am and what I am capable of delivering on a highest stage. #TheComeBack”
Philipe “Monstro” Lins is a Brazilian mixed martial artist training out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. Lins began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the age of 17 before transitioning into professional MMA in 2005. He gained international recognition during his run in Bellator MMA, where he competed from 2014 to 2017 against some of the promotion’s top heavyweights. His career reached a major milestone in 2018, when he captured the PFL Heavyweight Championship, winning four fights in six months and earning the $1 million grand prize in the league’s inaugural season. In 2020, Lins signed with the UFC, where he competed at heavyweight and light heavyweight, and has earned notable victories over respected opponents including Ion Cutelaba, Ovince Saint Preux, and Marcin Prachnio, solidifying his position as a dangerous contender in the division.
“To be part of the first MMA event on Netflix is going to be amazing. I’m excited – very, very, very excited,” said Philipe Lins. “I’m very happy and grateful to God for giving me this opportunity and for being with the right people to take care of my MMA career. MVP, Netflix, and Dominance MMA made this happen. I’m very happy to be fighting on this card with so many legends. Ronda Rousey, Gina Carano, Francis Ngannou – we’re going to make history, and to be a part of this moment is amazing to me.”
“Francis Ngannou is unequivocally the best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world and his addition creates star power on one card like never before seen in the sport,” said Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. “Francis is one of the most feared knockout artists the sport has ever seen, and his return to MMA instantly makes this a historic night. Philipe Lins is a proven champion who built his reputation the hard way against elite competition and knows this is his chance to cement his legacy on the sport and take Brazil back to the top of the sport. Two heavyweight knockout artists. Ngannou vs Lins. Rousey vs Carano. Five rounds Each. The global spotlight of Netflix. Saturday, May 16, will be one of the most significant nights in modern MMA.”
The event is headlined by former UFC champion and Olympic medalist Ronda Rousey (12-2, 9 Submissions, 3 KOs) vs. combat sports trailblazer Gina Carano (7-1, 1 Submission, 3 KOs) in a featherweight bout at 145lbs contested over five, 5-minute rounds using 4oz gloves, inside a hexagon cage, as a professionally sanctioned bout under the Unified Rules of MMA. The matchup unites Rousey, the woman who shattered the glass ceiling for female fighters and became the face of an entire sport, male or female, with Carano, the sport’s first true crossover star in a highly-anticipated fight that has been years in the making.
Additional information, including undercard bouts and full event details, will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions and @Netflix, on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @Netflix, or on Netflix’s Tudum.
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