Highlights! Cyborg Scores Late TKO, Retains Title!

Cris Cyborg returned to action after an extended break to defend her women’s Featherweight title against Leslie Smith at Bellator 259 in a rematch five years in the making. And while the champ proved to be in dominant form, Smith didn’t back down one bit.

For nearly five rounds, Cyborg took it to Smith, tagging her with clean striking, landing several leg kicks to the body as well. She also displayed great wrestling, at one point landing a suplex on her foe. While Smith did try to fire off some offense of her own, it wasn’t enough to hurt the 145-pound champion.

On her way to a clear-cut unanimous decision win, Cyborg wanted the kill. And she got just that with under 10 seconds remaining in the title fight, dropping “The Peacemaker” with a big right hand. She then pounced and unloaded some ground-and-pound to score the late stoppage win.

Check out some of the highlights below:

After her big win, Cyborg called out Cat Zingano — who is currently ranked No. 3 — as her next opponent.

For complete Bellator 259: “Cyborg vs Smith 2” play-by-play updates and results click here.