Renan Ferreira (fighter)
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23 November 1989
Santa Tereza de Goiás, Goiás, Brazil
| Renan Ferreira | |
|---|---|
| Born | Thalles Renan Ferreira 23 November 1989 Santa Tereza de Goiás, Goiás, Brazil |
| Nickname | Problema |
| Height | 6 ft 8 in (203 cm) |
| Weight | 262 lb (119 kg; 18 st 10 lb) |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Reach | 85 in (216 cm) |
| Fighting out of | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Team | Team Nogueira |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 21 |
| Wins | 13 |
| By knockout | 11 |
| By submission | 1 |
| By decision | 1 |
| Losses | 5 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By submission | 2 |
| By disqualification | 1 |
| No contests | 3 |
| Other information | |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Thalles Renan Ferreira[1] (born 23 November 1989) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division of Professional Fighters League (PFL). He won the 2023 PFL Heavyweight Championship. Ferreira has been a professional MMA fighter since 2013 and has previously competed in the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA). As of March 26, 2026, he is #2 in the PFL heavyweight rankings.[2]
Before pursuing a full-time career in fighting, Ferreira worked as a private security guard and construction worker. His journey into mixed martial arts began in 2013 when he trained in jiu-jitsu at a social project for low-income kids in Brasilia. Three years later, after moving to Rio de Janeiro, he left his previous jobs to focus exclusively on MMA.[3]
Moving to Rio marked a significant turning point in his career, as he trained at the gym of MMA legends, the twins Big Nog and Lil Nog. At the gym, he interacted with former UFC stars as Jacare Souza and Junior dos Santos.[4][3]
Additionally, Ferreira was invited to portray Werdum in a biographical film about jiu-jitsu legend Fernando Tererê, titled "O Faixa Preta."[5]
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Ferreira started his professional MMA career in 2013, amassed a record of 5–1 before signing with the Legacy Fighting Alliance.[6][7]
Legacy Fighting Alliance
In his LFA debut, Ferreira faced Brett Martin on June 28, 2019, at LFA 70. He lost the bout by disqualification as a result of illegal strikes.[8][9]
Ferreira faced Jared Vanderaa on August 30, 2019, at LFA 74. He won the bout via triangle choke submission in the second round.[10]
Professional Fighters League
2021 season
Ferreira made his promotional debut against Fabrício Werdum on May 6, 2021, at PFL 3.[11] He initially won the fight via technical knockout in the first round. However, the result was surrounded by controversy, as replays showed Ferreira tapping out while Werdum had him in a triangle choke before Ferreira finished Werdum.[12] On May 10, the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board announced that Ferreira's TKO win against Werdum was overturned to a no contest due to his controversial stoppage.[13][14]
Ferreira was then scheduled to face 2019 Professional Fighters League season Heavyweight Champion Ali Isaev on June 25, 2021, at PFL 6.[15] However, Isaev was forced to withdraw from the event after not being medically cleared to compete and was replaced by PFL newcomer Stuart Austin.[16] Austin was subsequently pulled from the bout for unknown reasons and replaced by returning PFL fighter, Carl Seumanutafa.[17] Ferreira won the bout via unanimous decision.[18][19]
2022 season
Starting the 2022 season, Ferreira faced Jamelle Jones on April 28, 2022, at PFL 2.[20] He won the bout by first-round knockout.[21]
On June 24, 2022, Ferreira faced Klidson Abreu at PFL 5.[22] He initially lost the bout by unanimous decision;[23] however, the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission later overturned the result to a no contest after Abreu failed a drug test for unspecified substances.[24]
Ferreira then faced Ante Delija on August 13, 2022, at PFL 8, where he lost the bout by first-round TKO.[25]
2023 season
In the 2023 season, Ferreira started by going up against Rizvan Kuniev on April 7, 2023, at PFL 2.[26] He initially lost the fight by unanimous decision, but the result was changed to a no contest when Kuniev failed a drug test.[27][28]
Ferreira fought Matheus Scheffel on June 16, 2023, at PFL 5,[29] winning the bout by first-round knockout.[30][31]
In the semi-finals, Ferreira faced Maurice Greene on August 18, 2023, at PFL 8,[32] winning the fight via knockout in the first round.[33]
Heading into the finals of the heavyweight tournament, Ferreira faced Denis Goltsov on November 24, 2023, at PFL 10.[34] He won the bout by second-round TKO, claiming the 2023 Heavyweight tournament title and the $1 million collective prize.[35]
2024
Ferreira faced Bellator Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader in a three-round non-title crossover fight on February 24, 2024, at PFL vs. Bellator.[36] He won the bout by knockout just twenty-one seconds into the first round.[37]
Ferreira fought former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou for the PFL Heavyweight Superfight Championship on October 19, 2024, at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants.[38] He lost the fight by knockout due to ground punches in the first round.[39]
2025
Ferreira faced former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Vadim Nemkov for the vacant PFL Heavyweight Championship on December 13, 2025, at PFL Europe 4.[40] He lost the fight via submission in the first round.
Championships and accomplishments
Mixed martial arts record
| 21 matches | 13 wins | 5 losses |
| By knockout | 11 | 2 |
| By submission | 1 | 2 |
| By decision | 1 | 0 |
| By disqualification | 0 | 1 |
| No contests | 3 | |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sergey Bilostenniy | PFL Sioux Falls: Storley vs. Zendeli | May 2, 2026 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States | ||||||
| Loss | 13–5 (3) | Vadim Nemkov | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | PFL Lyon: Nemkov vs. Ferreira | December 13, 2025 | 1 | 4:00 | Décines-Charpieu, France | For the inaugural PFL Heavyweight World Championship. |
| Loss | 13–4 (3) | Francis Ngannou | KO (punches) | PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants | October 19, 2024 | 1 | 3:32 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | For the PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Championship |
| Win | 13–3 (3) | Ryan Bader | TKO (punches) | PFL vs. Bellator | February 24, 2024 | 1 | 0:21 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | |
| Win | 12–3 (3) | Denis Goltsov | TKO (punches) | PFL 10 (2023) | November 24, 2023 | 2 | 0:26 | Washington, D.C., United States | Won the 2023 PFL Heavyweight Tournament. |
| Win | 11–3 (3) | Maurice Greene | KO (punches) | PFL 8 (2023) | August 18, 2023 | 1 | 4:46 | New York City, New York, United States | 2023 PFL Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal. |
| Win | 10–3 (3) | Matheus Scheffel | KO (punch) | PFL 5 (2023) | June 16, 2023 | 1 | 0:50 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | |
| NC | 9–3 (3) | Rizvan Kuniev | NC (overturned) | PFL 2 (2023) | April 7, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Originally a unanimous decision win for Kuniev; overturned after he tested positive for banned substances. |
| Loss | 9–3 (2) | Ante Delija | TKO (punches) | PFL 8 (2022) | August 13, 2022 | 1 | 4:31 | Cardiff, Wales | 2022 PFL Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal. |
| NC | 9–2 (2) | Klidson Abreu | NC (overturned) | PFL 5 (2022) | 24 June 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | Originally a unanimous decision win for Abreu; overturned after he tested positive for banned substances. |
| Win | 9–2 (1) | Jamelle Jones | KO (front kick and punches) | PFL 2 (2022) | April 28, 2022 | 1 | 0:25 | Arlington, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 8–2 (1) | Stuart Austin | KO (punch) | PFL 8 (2021) | August 19, 2021 | 1 | 0:31 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 7–2 (1) | Carl Seumanutafa | Decision (unanimous) | PFL 6 (2021) | June 25, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| NC | 6–2 (1) | Fabrício Werdum | NC (overturned) | PFL 3 (2021) | 6 May 2021 | 1 | 2:32 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Originally a TKO (punches) win for Ferreira; later ruled a no contest after it was determined Ferreira tapped out to a triangle choke applied by Werdum. |
| Win | 6–2 | Jared Vanderaa | Submission (triangle choke) | LFA 74 | August 30, 2019 | 2 | 2:37 | Riverside, California, United States | |
| Loss | 5–2 | Brett Martin | DQ (illegal strikes) | LFA 70 | June 28, 2019 | 1 | 3:14 | Madison, Wisconsin, United States | LFA Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal. |
| Win | 5–1 | Fabrício Almeida | TKO (punches) | Future FC 3 | March 22, 2019 | 2 | 3:57 | Indaiatuba, Brazil | |
| Win | 4–1 | Tiago Cardoso | KO (punches) | New Corpore Extreme 30 | September 15, 2018 | 1 | 1:39 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| Win | 3–1 | Carlos Ruan Pereira de Araújo | KO (punches) | Festival de Lutas da CUFA 6 | December 14, 2017 | 1 | 3:30 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| Loss | 2–1 | Vinicius Moreira | Submission (armbar) | FAM Fight Night 1 | September 3, 2016 | 1 | 3:37 | Goiânia, Brazil | For the vacant FAMMA Heavyweight Championship. |
| Win | 2–0 | Alexandre Sabara | TKO (retirement) | Acai do Japa Fight 2 | December 13, 2014 | 2 | N/A | Paranoá, Brazil | |
| Win | 1–0 | Marcio Marques | TKO (punches) | MMA Fest: Porangatu | December 14, 2013 | 1 | 0:43 | Porangatu, Brazil | Heavyweight debut. |
Pay-per-view bouts
| No | Event | Fight | Date | Venue | City | PPV buys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | PFL vs. Bellator | Ferreira vs. Bader | February 24, 2024 | Kingdom Arena | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Not Disclosed[41] |
| 2. | PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants | Ngannou vs. Ferreira | October 19, 2024 | The Mayadeen | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Not Disclosed[42] |
