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Francis Ngannou Details Lasting Trauma From Son’s 2024 Death Ahead of Netflix MMA Return

His account of medical errors recasts his comeback as a test of grief.

Overview

  • Ngannou, in interviews published Thursday, said losing his 15-month-old son left him traumatised and changed how he sees control and risk in daily life.
  • He said Kobe died in April 2024 from a brain malformation that doctors missed in hospital visits in Cameroon and Saudi Arabia.
  • Ngannou recounted that clinicians ran tests yet skipped CT and MRI scans and told the family the issue was a swollen lung.
  • He said the loss made fighting feel pointless, then decided to keep competing for his son’s memory after dedicating his October 2024 PFL title win to Kobe.
  • He is set to face Philipe Lins in a five-round heavyweight co-main event on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, on Netflix’s first live MMA card promoted by Most Valuable Promotions.