In the PFL’s efforts to ensure this Saturday’s super fights pay-per-view event delivers action as promised, the promotion is turning to a Pro Football Hall of Famer for a 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 [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] and [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag], 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 a lot about pressure and 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 part of our athlete advisory board, so Ray’s gonna go behind the scenes and give the fighters, alongside Ray Sefo and Mike (Kogan), a bit of a pep talk from the heart.
“This is not an interview. They’ve got to go out and do their jobs. They’ve earned that right. It’s a global stage, everyone’s watching, and these are the fights that make champions and legacy. It’s all on the line, and Ray Lewis will bring it from the heart.”
Lewis, 49, has been head of the PFL’s athlete advisory board since 2021.
In addition to Ngannou’s highly anticipated return to MMA against Ferreira, PFL: Battle of the Giants will also feature a showdown between Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg and reigning PFL champ Larissa Pacheco in the co-main event. A Bellator middleweight title-fight rematch between champ Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards is also featured on the main card.
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.