Ronaldo says important thing helps “Beast” Ngannou win world MMA championship

Before stepping into the ring in Saudi Arabia, Ngannou received encouragement from football star Cristiano Ronaldo, which the boxer himself admitted contributed to his resounding victory.

The relationship between Ronaldo and Ngannou goes beyond the fact that the two are excellent athletes in different sports.
Their previous encounters have developed into a close friendship. Ronaldo once gifted Ngannou a luxury watch worth £87,000 before he fought former WBC champion Tyson Fury in October 2023. Although Ngannou controversially lost that fight, their friendship continues to grow strong.

Before Ngannou’s important MMA match at the Professional Fighters League (PFL) event in Riyadh, Ronaldo visited the locker room to cheer him up. What was special about this conversation was not only the words of encouragement, but also the personal sharing of the loss for both.

Ngannou lost his son, Kobe, just 15 months old, earlier this year. During the meeting, Ronaldo shared that he also lost a child during childbirth. According to Ngannou’s coach, Eric Nicksick, Ronaldo is not only a big fan of martial arts but also a very sincere and empathetic person. He sat with Ngannou and shared his grief, helping the fighter find greater motivation to fight for his son’s memory.

Nicksick recalled: “He was amazing. Ronaldo was a very down-to-earth and approachable person. When he talked about the loss of his son, Ronaldo made the whole team feel like he was a part of it. His presence gave everyone positive energy.”
After the fight, Ngannou dedicated his victory to his late son. “I couldn’t think of anything else but my son Kobe. I did this fight for him. I hope people remember Kobe’s name, because without him, we wouldn’t be here tonight,” he said.

Ngannou’s PFL victory was not only a personal success but also the result of overcoming loss and pain. A big part of that journey was the emotional support from Cristiano Ronaldo, who gave “The Beast” Ngannou sincere consolation as he overcame the 6ft 6in “Giant”, Renan Ferreira, to win and retain the PFL heavyweight championship.