Tag: Cris Cyborg

Larissa Pacheco predicts war against Cris Cyborg: ‘Who goes down first?’

Larissa Pacheco predicts war against Cris Cyborg: 'Who goes down first?'Ahead of her massive super fight with undisputed Bellator MMA featherweight champion, Cris Cyborg in October, PFL (Professional Fighters…

Larissa Pacheco predicts war against Cris Cyborg: 'Who goes down first?'

Ahead of her massive super fight with undisputed Bellator MMA featherweight champion, Cris Cyborg in October, PFL (Professional Fighters League) favorite, Larissa Pacheco is expecting an all-out war with her compatriot, expecting one of them to suffer a big knockout loss in Riyadh.

Pacheco, fresh from a PFL featherweight tournament success last year after a prior lightweight tournament win the year prior, most recently landed a unanimous decision win over Marina Mokhnatkina in November of last year in the tournament’s finale — extending her stunning winning spree to 10 bouts straight.

pacheco

As for Cyborg, the former undisputed UFC, Strikeforce, and Invicta FC featherweight champion, turned in her sixth straight win under the banner of Bellator MMA back in October, successfully defending her featherweight crown for a fifth time with a dominant first round knockout win over fellow Octagon veteran, Cat Zingano.

Larissa Pacheco expects war showdown with Cris Cyborg in October

And ahead of their super fight in the desert in October, Pacheco — who features against Cyborg before a massive heavyweight clash between Renan Ferreira, and Francis Ngannou, is expecting a huge war with the Curitiba striker when they share the SmartCage.

larissa pacheco

“We have an idea of how the fight will play out, but we never know for sure,” Larissa Pacheco told MMA Fighting. “We have a similar style, we’re both aggressive and walk forward the entire time, no turning back. For some people, it’s like a lottery.”

“Who goes down fight? I don’t know, it’s hard to say,” Larissa Pacheco explained. “But all I know is that we’ll both give our all in there. Cris (Cyborg) has a unique style and will do everything she can to win, so it’s going to be a historic fight.”

cyborg title

Also during her 10-fight winning run, Pacheco became the first fighter to defeat former two-time lightweight tournament winner and UFC contender, Kayla Harrison with a unanimous decision success.

Cris Cyborg Looking to Make History by Collecting Her Fifth World Title in MMA

Cris Cyborg ChampionLater this year, Cris Cyborg will be looking to defeat Larissa Pacheco and capture a PFL title. The inaugural…

Cris Cyborg Champion

Later this year, Cris Cyborg will be looking to defeat Larissa Pacheco and capture a PFL title. The inaugural PFL Super Fight belt will be on the line on October 19 live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Cris Cyborg

The Brazilian athlete has been a trailblazer in the world of women’s MMA. She fought Gina Carano in Strikeforce in the first female MMA fight on primetime television in the US. She’s collected numerous titles including the UFC, Strikeforce, Invicta, and Bellator. Additionally, she has competed in professional boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and submission grappling, and is well feared for her knockout power.

On X, formerly Twitter, she said:

“My next opponent is 10 years younger. She’s won 10 fights in a row, 7 of those by 1st round KO. She is the betting favorite. She ran Judo Kayla off. Oct. 19th a win over Larissa Pacheco makes me PFLMMA champion and gives me my 5th world championship.“

Here is an outline of the titles Cris Cyborg has won throughout her impressive career.

Strikeforce Women’s Featherweight Championship (2009)

  • Opponent: Gina Carano
  • Method: Technical Knockout (TKO) in the first round
  • Year: 2009

Invicta FC Featherweight Championship (2013)

  • Opponent: Marloes Coenen
  • Method: TKO in the fourth round
  • Year: 2013

UFC Women’s Featherweight Championship (2017)

  • Opponent: Tonya Evinger
  • Method: TKO in the third round
  • Year: 2017

Bellator Women’s Featherweight Championship (2020)

  • Opponent: Julia Budd
  • Method: TKO in the fourth round
  • Year: 2020

Larissa Pacheco

Brazil’s Larissa Pacheco is a two-time PFL tournament champion. Currently, she is riding an impressive ten-fight win streak. She has impressive wins over veterans such as Sarah Kaufman, Olena Kolesnyk, Julia Budd, and Olympic medalist Kayla Harrison.

Cris Cyborg

Larissa Pacheco and Cris Cyborg will both be looking to capture PFL gold later this year. Also featured on the card will be Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira.

Battle Of The Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Highlights & Faceoff

The build-up to Francis Ngannou’s long-awaited MMA comeback and PFL debut continued on Thursday, with the heavyweight powerhouse going face-to-face with opponent Renan Ferreira at the Battle of the Giants press conference. Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, hasn’t laced the MMA gloves since his lone successful title defense against Ciryl Gane in January 2022. […]

Continue Reading Battle Of The Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Highlights & Faceoff at MMA News.

The build-up to Francis Ngannou’s long-awaited MMA comeback and PFL debut continued on Thursday, with the heavyweight powerhouse going face-to-face with opponent Renan Ferreira at the Battle of the Giants press conference.

Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, hasn’t laced the MMA gloves since his lone successful title defense against Ciryl Gane in January 2022. He later departed the organization following a lengthy contractual dispute and found a new home, putting pen to paper on an exclusive MMA deal with the Professional Fighters League in May 2023.

He’s yet to enter the SmartCage, however, instead using the freedom granted to him by the PFL to complete his long-discussed venture to the sport of boxing. After shocking the world with his performance against then-WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Ngannou stayed in that realm of combat for a highly anticipated matchup with former two-time unified champ Anthony Joshua.

A devastating knockout defeat to the Brit in Saudi Arabia this past March has put a stop to his charge in the ring for the time being, and Ngannou’s sights are instead now on the sport in which he made his name once again.

“The Predator” will be back in the cage on October 19, making his promotional debut in the main event of a PFL Super Fight card opposite Renan Ferreira, the 2023 heavyweight champ inside the SmartCage.

The card’s co-headliner, meanwhile, sees another major name make their return as Bellator Women’s Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg gears up for her first MMA outing in over a year. She’ll meet the PFL’s very first two-weight title winner in Larissa Pacheco this fall.

Those four names were initially all set to appear at the Battle of the Giants press conference on August 22, held at The Anthem in Washington D.C. However, only Ngannou and Ferreira fielded questions from the media, with Pacheco also appearing briefly. It’s unknown why original plans to have Cyborg in attendance fell away.

Check out a full stream of the presser below via the PFL’s official YouTube channel, followed by all the highlights and faceoffs!

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Stream

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Highlights

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Faceoff

Continue Reading Battle Of The Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Highlights & Faceoff at MMA News.

Ronda Rousey Calls Out Steroid-Pumped Cris Cyborg: No One Wants to Watch Her Cheating A** B*****

Ronda Rousey Calls Out Steroid-Pumped Cris CyborgRowdy’ Ronda Rousey was a megastar in the world of MMA huge huge mainstream crossover appeal. The became the…

Ronda Rousey Calls Out Steroid-Pumped Cris Cyborg

Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey was a megastar in the world of MMA huge huge mainstream crossover appeal. The became the face of the UFC. Rousey is also the reason the UFC started allowing women’s fights at all. In this interview, she reflects on saving women’s MMA and slams all-time great Cris Cyborg.

Ronda Rousey on Women’s MMA

Ronda Rousey was an Olympic medalist and then began competing in MMA in Strikeforce. There, she was celebrated for her trash talk and feud against Miesha Tate. Zuffa, the owning company of the UFC, bought Strikeforce so Rousey made sure to get women into the UFC. Even Dana White admitted that they would never have started the women’s fighting division if it wasn’t for ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey.

Ronda Rousey admits she never evolved during UFC career I was being everything to everyone

Prior to Rousey’s run, the biggest names in women’s MMA were Cris Cyborg and Gina Carano who fought on network TV under Strikeforce. The Brazilian fighter has picked up titles in Invicta, Strikeforce, Bellator, and the UFC, among others. Despite being a trailblazer and an all-time great, Ronda Rousey has no love for Cris Cyborg.

Speaking in an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Rousey explained:

“People forget how fragile that situation was and how last-minute I was able to get us in. Strikeforce was the only organization that was really showcasing women and that was because of Gina Carano, because her dad was involved with the Nevada Athletic Commission and was able to sanction fights for her and all these things.”

Ronda Rousey hits back at UFC fans over criticizm of KO losses I'm the greatest fighter to ever live
Mandatory Credit: MMA Junkie

Speaking on Cris Cyborg, she said:

“When she was gone, Cris Cyborg’s pumped to the f*cking gills with steroids. No one wants to watch that cheating ass bitch. Everything just tanked. The division was dying. The UFC bought Strikeforce and it was assumed they were just going to absorb all of the male talent that they liked and fold the whole organization, because that’s what they did with PRIDE, that’s what they did with WEC, that was their business model. So there was a matter of time.”

Rousey added:

“It was just a matter of time before they closed the whole thing and there would be nowhere that would showcase women’s MMA, so I had that much time to make sure that Dana [White] couldn’t go a single day without seeing my name somewhere. The rest is history.” [Ht MMAFighting]

Ronda Rousey was able to create a massive amount of attention for women’s MMA with her impressive and quick wins in the UFC. She has since MMA and began competing in WWE professional wrestling.

Opening Betting Odds Released For Francis Ngannou & Cris Cyborg’s PFL Debuts

Oddsmakers are seeing one of the two blockbuster matchups announced for the next PFL pay-per-view as a lot closer than the other… This week, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) confirmed its expected second Super Fight PPV card of 2024, the first of which pitted its champions against Bellator titleholders in Saudi Arabia this past February. […]

Continue Reading Opening Betting Odds Released For Francis Ngannou & Cris Cyborg’s PFL Debuts at MMA News.

Oddsmakers are seeing one of the two blockbuster matchups announced for the next PFL pay-per-view as a lot closer than the other…

This week, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) confirmed its expected second Super Fight PPV card of 2024, the first of which pitted its champions against Bellator titleholders in Saudi Arabia this past February.

The next major lineup on October 19 boasts two huge names at the top, with former UFC champions Francis Ngannou and Cris Cyborg making their respective PFL debuts in the headlining acts.

In the main event, Ngannou returns to mixed martial arts following a two-match boxing stint. His first taste of action inside the cage since January 2022 comes against an expected opponent in Renan Ferreira, the 2023 PFL heavyweight title winner who stopped Ryan Bader in just 21 seconds earlier this year to secure a showdown with “The Predator.”

Setting the stage for those two heavyweight behemoths will be Cyborg, the reigning Bellator women’s featherweight champion and an all-time great. Her frustrated calls for an MMA return against two-weight PFL champ Larissa Pacheco have finally been answered.

Both bouts will be contested for Super Fight titles. And in terms of who will walk away from the October 19 event with an additional piece of gold for their trophy cabinet, oddsmakers believe one matchup is easier to call…

Ngannou Heavy Favorite For Successful Comeback, Pacheco Narrow Underdog Against Cyborg

Shortly after the top two clashes for the PFL’s next PPV card were announced in a press release on Wednesday, opening odds were released by BetOnline.ag.

Given his destructive run toward the UFC’s heavyweight gold prior to his departure from the MMA leader and subsequent boxing venture, it’s perhaps unsurprising to see Ngannou heavily favored.

“The Predator” has opened at -350, with Ferreira’s underdog line reading +285.

The co-headliner is seen as much closer, with Cyborg a narrow -140 favorite against Pacheco’s +125 line. The PFL standout became the promotion’s first-ever two-division title winner last year when she added featherweight gold to her 2022 lightweight success.

The PFL is yet to confirm any other bouts for the October 19 event, but French star Cédric Doumbé has previously been touted for the fall PPV. Also, Yoel Romero recently spilled the beans on a Bellator light heavyweight title fight against champ Corey Anderson on that date.

Continue Reading Opening Betting Odds Released For Francis Ngannou & Cris Cyborg’s PFL Debuts at MMA News.

Cris Cyborg set for PLF debut in super fight against Larissa Pacheco on October 19.

Cris Cyborg set for PFL debut super fight against Larissa Pacheco on October 19.Set to make her first venture to the SmartCage, undisputed Bellator MMA featherweight champion, Cris Cyborg will put her…

Cris Cyborg set for PFL debut super fight against Larissa Pacheco on October 19.

Set to make her first venture to the SmartCage, undisputed Bellator MMA featherweight champion, Cris Cyborg will put her strap on the line in a super fight against current PFL (Professional Fighters League) featherweight queen, Larissa Pacheco in a champion versus champion clash on October 19. in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Cyborg, a former undisputed champion under the banner of the UFC, Invicta FC, and the defunct, Strikeforce, returns to mixed martial arts competition for the first time since last October, on that occasion successfully defending her title in a first round knockout win over Cat Zinago at Bellator 300.

cyborg title

As for Pacheco, the Brazilian turned in a unanimous decision win over Marina Mokhatkina last November in the PFL 2023 featherweight tournament finale – and also is the sole mixed martial arts fighter to defeat UFC bantamweight contender, Kayla Harrison.

pacheco

Cris Cyborg books Larissa Pacheco super fight for PFL bow

News of Cris Cyborg’s debut under the PFL against Larissa Pacheco in a super fight was confirmed by the Peter Murray-led organization this Wednesday evening.

Cris Cyborg signs new multi fight deal with Bellator MMA
Mandatory Credit: Bellator MMA

“The biggest fight to be made in Women’s MMA… is FINALLY HAPPENING!,” PFL posted on their official X account this afternoon. “@BellatorMMA women’s featherweight world champion @criscyborg clashes with 2 division PFL world champion @lpacchec on October 19th.”

While Cyborg is set to co-headline the organization’s return to Saudi Arabia, the main event features the SmartCage debut to boot of former undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou.

Following a pair of professional boxing matches, Batie knockout artist, Ngannou takes on heavyweight star, Renan Ferreira in a huge matchup at the top of the division for the promotion. 

During her run with Bellator MMA, Cyborg, who minted herself as the undisputed featherweight champion with a debut win over Julia Budd back in 2020, has lodged five consecutive successful title defenses over Arlene Blencowe, Leslie Smith, Sinead Kavanagh, and the above-mentioned, Zingano.

Who do you think wins in October: Cris Cyborg or Larissa Pacheco?