An upset is exactly what Filipe Lins is chasing this weekend in Los Angeles, where he’s set to face former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in the co-main event of the MVP show at Intuit Dome. The Brazilian sees the matchup as a chance to put his name on the map in a major way against one of the most feared punchers of this era.
For American fans, that’s what makes this fight compelling: Ngannou still carries crossover-star power, but Lins is treating this like a five-round test rather than a one-moment firefight. In comments to MMA Fighting, Lins said he’s prepared to go the full 25 minutes and believes a longer fight gives him a better path to victory. He pointed to Ngannou’s first fight with Stipe Miocic as a model, suggesting that patience and timing could create the opening he needs.
“I’m fully ready to go all five rounds. I think the longer the fight goes, the better for me,” Lins said. “I look at his first fight against Stipe Miocic as an example. I’m going to upset Francis Ngannou. It’s very difficult to find holes in his game, but I’m going to do it — I’ll wait for the right moment to finish the fight by knockout or submission.”
The stakes are obvious at heavyweight. If Ngannou wins cleanly, the conversation immediately shifts back to where he stands among the division’s elite and whether another title path comes into focus. If Lins pulls it off, it would be the biggest victory of his career and the kind of result that instantly reshuffles his place in the pecking order.
There’s also pressure on both men beyond the result itself. Ngannou has to remind fans he’s still the division’s ultimate force, while Lins needs to prove he can survive the early danger and drag a powerhouse into deeper water. In a city that has become a regular big-fight destination, the crowd should respond to every tense exchange — especially if this turns from a power battle into the drawn-out fight Lins wants.
The key now is whether Lins can actually make Ngannou uncomfortable late, or whether the former champion ends things before that strategy ever has a chance to matter.