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Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou added another spectacular knockout to his collection, flooring Felipe Lins with a brutal left hook in the first round. This marked Ngannou's first MMA bout of 2024.
Ngannou charged forward from the opening bell, and the fight concluded after the Cameroonian unleashed a furious flurry of strikes, culminating in a straight left that sent Lins crashing to the canvas. The referee immediately stopped the contest, with the official time of stoppage recorded at 4:31 minutes into the first round.
"I have to give a lot of respect to Felipe," Ngannou stated after his victory. "He was tougher than I expected. We've got a solid fighter here. He's the real deal. If anyone forgot who I am, they must be suffering from amnesia or something. This is just another reminder."
Ngannou wasted no time in turning his attention to Jon Jones, who was part of the event's commentary team.
"Jon Jones is a great fighter, perhaps the best in MMA history, but when it comes to business, he needs to watch me and learn," Ngannou declared. "This fight will happen before we both retire."
Ngannou also set his sights on Jake Paul.
"Jake Paul doesn't run MVP. He's just a loudmouth. Nakisa runs the business. The process was quite easy. Come on, I guess he's a man now. Last time I saw him, he was still a boy. Maybe he's grown up."
Regarding Ngannou's position in the heavyweight division, he still believes he is the king, even without holding a championship belt at the moment.
"The best heavyweight, period," Ngannou roared. "There's no question about it. I'm the best, damn it. Period."
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