Within the PFL’s efforts to make sure this Saturday’s super fights pay-per-view event delivers motion as promised, the promotion is popping to a Pro Football Hall of Famer for a little bit of an assist.
PFL CEO Peter Murray recently told MMA Junkie Radio that Super Bowl-winning linebacker Ray Lewis, who played for the Baltimore Ravens from 1996 to 2012, will attend PFL: Battle of the Giants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Prior to the event headlined by the heavyweight showdown between Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira, Lewis will address the fighters backstage in hopes of preparing them for the moment.
“We do have something special in store for this fight, an athlete who knows rather a lot about pressure and rather a lot about locker room and getting prepared, the moment – and that’s Ray Lewis,” Murray said. “NFL Hall of Famer, Super Bowl champion, Ray’s a part of our athlete advisory board, so Ray’s gonna go behind the scenes and provides the fighters, alongside Ray Sefo and Mike (Kogan), a little bit of a pep talk from the center.
“This shouldn’t be an interview. They’ve got to exit and do their jobs. They’ve earned that right. It’s a worldwide stage, everyone’s watching, and these are the fights that make champions and legacy. It’s all on the road, and Ray Lewis will bring it from the center.”
Lewis, 49, has been head of the PFL’s athlete advisory board since 2021.
Along with Ngannou’s highly anticipated return to MMA against Ferreira, PFL: Battle of the Giants can even feature a showdown between Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg and reigning PFL champ Larissa Pacheco within the co-main event. A Bellator middleweight title-fight rematch between champ Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards can be featured on the primary card.
For more on the cardboard, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.
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