Donn Davis claims Francis Ngannou's PFL debut beat viewership numbers of "every UFC event this year"

Donn Davis has made a bold claim about the success of PFL’s recently concluded 'Battle of the Giants' event, headlined by the highly anticipated bout between Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira. Davis asserted that the event attracted more viewers than any UFC event this year, marking a major win for the promotion.

Ngannou delivered an emphatic performance, securing a first-round knockout victory over Ferreira to win the heavyweight Super Fights championship. The fight drew significant attention, as fans were eager to see how Ngannou would perform after his last MMA fight at UFC 270 when he defended his heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane.

Ngannou didn’t disappoint, reminding fans of his devastating power.

Davis took to X to express his gratitude to PFL fans for their support, sharing data that highlighted the event’s strong global audience metrics and social media engagement. He described the event as a rare moment of sports excellence on a global scale.

In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Davis reiterated his statement, claiming that PFL’s research indicated this event surpassed the viewership numbers of every UFC event in 2024:

"This event by our research beat every viewership number of every UFC event this year."

Check out Donn Davis' comments below:

Check out the full interview of Donn Davis below:

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Donn Davis discusses PFL and UFC potentially co-promoting Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou

Donn Davis has expressed optimism about the long-anticipated super fight between Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones, saying that while it's unlikely, it could still happen. The matchup, which has captivated MMA fans for years, seemed lost when Ngannou left UFC for PFL, and Jones secured the UFC heavyweight title by defeating Ciryl Gane.

However, after Ngannou’s recent victory at PFL’s 'Battle of the Giants,' discussions about the potential fight have resurfaced.

During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Davis mentioned that despite the challenges of co-promotion between the UFC and PFL, the size and excitement of the fight could make it possible:

“So for me, I’m an optimistic, can-do guy. To me, it hasn’t happened in the past but the future is the future...since it’s the biggest fight that could ever be made in MMA in perhaps the last or next decade, that’s why I think it’s possible. Because it’s so big and it’s so thrilling. And sometimes people say, ‘What the eff. We’re going to find a way to do it. Let’s find a way to do it.’ So that’s why I think it’s possible.” [H/t: MMA Fighting]

While UFC’s Dana White has been opposed to such collaborations, Davis believes that the sheer scale of the potential fight could push both organizations to find common ground.