Francis Ngannou finally returned to the cage after a two-year hiatus, delivering a brutal knockout of Philipe Lins in the first round at MVP MMA 1 in Inglewood, California, which was broadcast on Netflix. Ngannou's last bout was in the PFL against Renan Ferreira in October 2024, and in the interim, he faced external issues that made it challenging to find a suitable match. However, an opportunity arose when Netflix called him back as the lineal heavyweight champion.

Lins, a former PFL tournament winner and UFC challenger, entered the bout as a significant underdog but was on a winning streak and had promised to put up a tough fight. UFC president Dana White made an effort to diminish the significance of Ngannou's return by announcing Conor McGregor's comeback on Instagram just before the event. Nevertheless, Ngannou's brutal knockout in the first round overshadowed any attempts to downplay the match.

Brutal KO in the First Round

Lins tried to overwhelm Ngannou from the start, but the size difference proved insurmountable, and Lins struggled even when he managed to get low. Despite landing several powerful blows, Lins could not match Ngannou's raw power. As the round neared its end, and Lins looked at his watch in hope of surviving until the second round, he was hit by a devastating combination. Ngannou then delivered a series of perfect punches that sent Lins to the mat, prompting referee Herb Dean to step in and stop the fight.

This victory solidified Ngannou's status as one of the world's most dangerous heavyweights, and fans eagerly await the announcement of his next opponent.