Renan Ferreira and Francis Ngannou are two of the most ferocious knockout artists in the heavyweight division today, but they know MMA isn’t only about face punching.

The former PFL and UFC champions will headline Saturday’s PFL Battle of the Giants in Saudi Arabia for the Superfight championship, and the Brazilian admits he won’t stay in the pocket and trade with Ngannou wildly if he sees a different path for victory once they are inside the cage.

“The important thing for us is the win,” Ferreira said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “It’s a big show and a big event, of course, a big promotion, but this is my career and my fight, and I’m going after a victory. I’ll do whatever it takes to come out with the win, and I know he’ll do the same thing. I’ll always go for the win wherever the fight goes, always bringing my best, where I feel the most comfortable at.”

Ngannou has also shown a different side of his fighting abilities in the past, wrestling his way to the victory on his final UFC appearance in January of 2022 to defeat Cyril Gane via unanimous decision.

“He was smart,” Ferreira said of Ngannou’s strategy at UFC 270. “MMA is about that, the mix. MMA isn’t just striking and knockouts, it’s everything. As long as you don’t use illegal blows, everything goes.”

Ferreira knows that knocking out a man like Ngannou would boost his name in the history books. Yet, winning is all that matters when it’s all said and done.

“We fight a fight a million times inside our heads, every shape and form of it, so it’s easier when we’re in there, but this is a five-round fight,” Ferreira said. “I’m being cautious there. Francis hits hard and walks forward, and he’s very strong, so I’ll use my movement and quick strikes, always hunting for the opportunity to land my jabs and go for the knockout. But, sure, the fight can go to the fence, go to the ground. I’ve trained all aspects of it so I’m not surprised by anything.”

“This is the biggest fight of my life,” he continued. “Everybody’s waiting for this moment. Two guys who have done a lot for their legacies and have done great fights and delivered great results. This is a wonderful moment for my life. I’m happy, well-prepared, and ready for war.”

Ferreira joined the PFL in May of 2021 and knocked out ex-UFC champion Fabricio Werdum in a bout that was later overturned to a no contest because Ferreira allegedly tapped to a triangle choke moments before the finish. His career has had ups and downs for two years before a major twist in 2023, winning the PFL heavyweight championship.

Ferreira battled Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader for the ticket to face Ngannou next, and obliterated the UFC and Bellator veteran in just 21 seconds. “The Predator” was sitting cageside in Saudi Arabia that night in February, and “Problema” fells he had the MMA star in shock.

“After that knockout, he was looking like, ‘I really have a problem in front of me, a tough man to face,’” Ferreira said. “I’m super well-prepared to welcome him [to PFL] and put on a show for the fans. I’m happy with this opportunity and this gigantic moment, an event built for us. This is a historic moment.”

West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui says his side “lost any possibility” of getting back into the game after conceding three goals in eight minutes in their 4-1 defeat to Tottenham in the Premier League at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

MATCH REPORT: Tottenham blow away West Ham as Kudus sent off in dominant derby win

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MANCHESTER UNITED produced a rousing comeback to beat Brentford at Old Trafford.

Goals by Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund cancelled out Ethan Pinnock’s first-half opener.

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The Red Devils’ win will ease pressure on beleaguered boss Erik ten Hag, who this week defiantly blasted reports that he is on the verge of the sack.

On a crucial afternoon for Ten Hag and Co, here’s how SunSport rated each United performer.

ANDRE ONANA – 6

Did not have much to do for a lot of the game but pulled out a good first half save to deny Christian Norgaard.

DIOGO DALOT – 6

Good display from right back and almost capped it with a goal when he stormed forward only to have his effort beaten away by Mark Flekken.

MATTHIJS DE LIGT – 6

At the centre of the controversy in first-half injury time as he had to leave the field with a bleeding head wound and from a corner Brentford scored. He was already looking suspect as was the bandage that was put on his head early in the game in the first place.

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JONNY EVANS – 7

Continuing an amazing end to his career at Old Trafford. Man of the match last time out in the goalless draw at Aston Villa and looked solid again. Great ovation when he came off towards the end.

LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 7

Shifted to an unaccustomed left-back spot but without problems and was particularly good getting forward down the flank.

CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN – 6

Chosen alongside Casemiro instead of new buy Manuel Ugarte who was on the bench again, but struggled to get into this game although he was involved for Hojlund’s goal. Thankful for the referee’s whistle in the first period calling play back for a foul after missing a sitter.

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CASEMIRO – 5

Looked like he was off in the summer but back in the team although looking to be missing a yard and often beaten to the ball.

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MARCUS RASHFORD – 7

Does not operate as well on the right but Garnacho was so good down the left. Highlight of his first half was an incredible crossfield ball from right to left to set up Garnacho. Then in the second he provided the assist for Garnacho’s leveller.

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BRUNO FERNANDES – 7

Tried to orchestrate something from midfield but looked a frustrated figure in the first period. Then he showed his class after the break with that great little flick to set up Hojlund for his goal.

ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 8

Had an all action first half after switching from the right to the left but wasted too many chances. Made up for it in the second with a fine finish from Rashford’s cross in a man of the match performance.

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RASMUS HOJLUND – 7

After getting one in Porto to open his season’s account he is now off and running with his first league goal of the campaign. A cool, clever chipped little finish it was too. The hope will be that starts a much needed run of goals but he needs to see more of the ball.

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SUBSTITUTES

Joshua Zirkzee (for Hojlund, 74) – 5

Strange change to make after Hojlund had just scored. His replacement fluffed the one half chance he had.

Victor Lindelof (for Evans, 89) – 6

A change that largely gave the fans a chance to acclaim Evans performances.

Manuel Ugarte (for Casemiro, 88) – 6

A change that probably should have come earlier.

Noussair Mazraoui (for Garnacho, 90+1) – 6

Back after a heart procedure for a few late minutes.

Max Verstappen edged Mercedes driver George Russell to the United States GP sprint pole by just 0.012 seconds, with GPS trace data revealing that his approach to just one critical corner made the difference.

The result meant Verstappen claimed his first pole – although sprints do not count towards official pole tally statistics – since he topped GP qualifying in Austria, as he lost his Spa GP pole due to his engine-change grid penalty.

It came on a day when Red Bull Racing was under considerable fire from 2024 title rival McLaren over Red Bull’s controversial front bib ride height adjuster.

Verstappen responded commandingly – in the RB20 that features a reworked floor edge. Russell was also on the up with the much heavier update on the Mercedes, while McLaren’s many design tweaks left Lando Norris feeling they had made little, if any, difference to the MCL38’s performance level.

With Oscar Piastri out in Q1 due to a track limits infraction and Norris not to feature in the sprint pole fight as the sun set on Friday evening at Austin, SQ3 was about two drivers that ran at very different times.

Russell led the drivers out of the pits early for the only runs on the soft tyres and shot down the pit straight quicker than Verstappen would do running with the main pack at the end of the short – per the GPS trace data logged on the cars.

However, an oversteer snap exiting the first corner was to prove costly.

It was a spot the W15s had been struggling with all day, which Pirelli says is the lowest grip part of the resurfaced areas of the circuit. The moment wasn’t as dramatic as his Turn 1 spin in FP1, but it certainly had an impact.

Having undercooked tyres for the start of the lap will also leave the drivers grappling here – the slides also then sending temperature spikes through the rubber that can become critical later.

On the approach to the rapid left at the start of the Esses, Russell had shipped almost 0.2s to Verstappen, which had come down to 0.17s by the end of the sequence.

George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

But from there, Russell’s speed on the straights plus a better traversing of Turn 11 mean he erased his previous losses by the end of the main straight, and while Verstappen’s run through Turns 12-15 was better, Russell rocketing through Turns 16-18 meant he held a narrow 0.046s advantage.

Next up was Turn 19, and the scene of the earlier track limits controversy that was to make the critical difference for Verstappen.

He chucked his RB20 in the plunging apex and shot through 3mph faster than Russell on a tighter line to come out with a fractional advantage.

When Russell’s ever so slightly quicker run through the final corner made next to no difference to their gap on essentially the same lines, Verstappen’s narrow triumph was sealed.

“From lap one, I think the car was in a decent window,” Verstappen said of what made the critical difference late on Friday. “I felt quite comfortable. I could attack the high-speed corners. I think we’re quite quick there.”

Mercedes insiders remain confident that it is in the fight this weekend — particularly as there is so little data on long-run pace thanks to the sprint format, which is leaving Red Bull wary at this stage.

The Silver Arrows squad is also delighted to have got through the Monza/street-circuit run that followed Zandvoort, as the “90° corners” that don’t suit “underlying characteristics of our car that are hurting us” in races at such tracks don’t suit the W15 – per Mercedes trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin.

Anmaat sprang a 40-1 shock in the Champion Stakes at Ascot as the outsider defeated favourite Calandagan.

French challenger Calandagan had been short of room during the race but made his way to the front before Jim Crowley came with a perfectly timed run on the winner, trained by Owen Burrows.

Royal Rhyme (25-1) was third in the big race on British Champions Day, while second favourite Economics was back in sixth.

Kyprios and Charyn were among the other winners on the country’s richest raceday, where £4m in prize money was on offer.

The Aidan O’Brien pair of Continuous and Los Angeles claimed the front spots as the Champion Stakes developed, with Calandagan among those pegged in behind.

Crowley also had to wait for a gap, but when it appeared, his mount surged through and won by half a length.

“He wasn’t going to run after he disappointed in France but this was his day,” said Crowley of the winner, who had finished fifth at ParisLongchamp this month.

Irish Champion Stakes winner Economics, losing for the first time this season, was found to have bled from his nose, said trainer William Haggas.

The UFC stays put on its home turf this week with a pair of ranked middleweights at the top of the bill.

UFC Fight Night 245 (ESPN+) takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Get main card pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

Darren Elkins vs. Daniel Pineda

Elkins vs Pineda

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Records: Elkins (28-11 MMA, 18-10 UFC), Pineda (28-16 MMA, 5-7 UFC)
Past five: Elkins 3-2, Pineda 1-2-2
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.19.24): Elkins -120, Pineda +100
Junkie pick results: Pineda 6, Elkins 5

Jake Hadley vs. Cameron Smotherman

Hadley vs Smotherman

Records: Hadley (11-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC), Smotherman (11-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Hadley 3-2, Smotherman 4-1
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.19.24): Hadley -500, Smotherman +380
Junkie pick results: Hadley 10, Smotherman 1

Charles Johnson vs. Su Mudaerji

Johnson vs Sumudaerji

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Records: Johnson (16-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC), Mudaerji (16-6 MMA, 3-3 UFC)
Past five: Johnson 3-2, Mudaerji 3-2
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Johnson honorable mention
Odds (as of 10.19.24): Johnson -245, Mudaerji +200
Junkie pick results: Johnson 10, Mudaerji 1

Rob Font vs. Kyler Phillips

Font vs. Phillips

Records: Font (20-8 MMA, 10-7 UFC), Kyler (12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC)
Past five: Font 1-4, Phillips 4-1
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: Phillips honorable mention
Odds (as of 10.19.24): Font +400, Phillips -535
Junkie pick results: Phillips 7, Font 4

Anthony Hernandez vs. Michel Pereira

Hernandez vs. Pereira

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Records: Hernandez (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC), Pereira (31-11 MMA, 9-2 UFC)
Past five: Hernandez 5-0, Pereira 5-0
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: Hernandez honorable mention
Odds (as of 10.19.24): Hernandez -140, Pereira +120
Junkie pick results: Hernandez 6, Pereira 5

Preliminary card picks

Martinez vs. Ardelean

Although they don’t count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:

• Asu Almabayev vs. Matheus Nicolau: Almabayev 7, Nicolau 4
• Brad Katona vs. Jean Matsumoto: Matsumoto 10, Katona 1
• Joselyne Edwards vs. Tamires Vidal: Edwards 8, VIdal 3
• Jessica Penne vs. Elise Reed: Reed 8, Penne 3
• Alice Ardelean vs. Melissa Martinez: Martinez 11, Ardelean 0
• Robelis Despaigne vs. Austen Lane: Despaigne 11, Lane 0

Check out all the main card picks below.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 245.