While Larissa Pacheco didn’t initially feel a fight against Cris Cyborg was her “dream fight,” she does admit a win over Bellator MMA’s women’s Featherweight champion this weekend (Sat., Oct. 19, 2024) at the “Battle of the Giants” pay-per-view (PPV) event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, could launch her mixed martial arts (MMA) career into the stratosphere.
Pacheco — the current Professional Fighters League (PFL) women’s Featherweight champion — said as much during a recent press conference to promote her showdown against Cyborg for the Super Fight title.
“This is the fight I wanted,” she said. “I’ve been preparing for this fight for a long time. I come from humble beginnings, and I am very happy with this stage and this fight with Cyborg. Being a couple of days away from this fight, I am just very ready to be here and looking forward to it.”
Cyborg’s legendary status as perhaps the greatest female MMA fighter of all-time is pretty much set thanks to her record-breaking run through various promotions. That’s the reason Pacheco feels a win over her fellow Brazilian would send her stock soaring.
“To become a legend, you need to beat a legend,” she said. “What I have already accomplished, people already treat me differently. They already understand what I am in this sport. But, definitely, a victory over Cyborg will put me in a different state and different position in my career.”
Pacheco also won PFL’s women’s Lightweight tournament in 2022 with a big win over Kayla Harrison, and comes into the event with an impressive 12-4 record with her two PFL defeats coming at the hands of Harrison, who is now eyeing a title fight with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
As for Cyborg, she’s riding a seven-fight win streak, which includes a record five straight title defenses of her Bellator 145-pound strap. A win over Pacheco further cements her legacy and gives her title No. 5 in as many promotions.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire “Battle of the Giants” fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 1:30 p.m. ET before the main card start time at 4 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
To checkout the latest and greatest news and notes for “Ngannou vs. Ferreira” be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. For the updated and finalized “Battle of the Giants” fight card and PPV lineup click here.