Francis Ngannou believes he is the lineal heavyweight MMA world champion ahead of his return fight against Philipe Lins on Saturday in California. The 39-year-old left the UFC as their reigning heavyweight champion and has won one MMA fight in the PFL since leaving the promotion in 2023.

While MMA has no official lineal championship like boxing, many consider Ngannou the best heavyweight in the world - despite Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall becoming UFC champions in his absence. When asked if he agreed with that view, Ngannou said "of course" and that he is defending the position against Lins. "I never lost the UFC title but I didn't lose the PFL title either," he said.

Ngannou is among a host of ex-UFC stars fighting on the MVP-Netflix card, with Ronda Rousey headlining in her first MMA bout in 10 years. The Cameroonian left the UFC at the height of his powers in a highly unusual move but has prospered outside the promotion, earning millions in boxing and now fighting on Netflix.

Ngannou hopes MVP, fronted by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidaria, can offer a lucrative alternative for fighters. He said his end at the UFC was "horrible" as he fell out with Dana White, telling BBC Sport: "The contracts are not fair - they give all the rights to the promoter and don't protect the fighter." His advice to younger fighters: "Stand your ground and believe in yourself."