Tag: Larissa Pacheco

Larissa Pacheco Sticks Up For Kayla Harrison After PFL’s ‘Uncalled For’ Fight-Day Dig

It wasn’t just those outside of the PFL that took issue with the promotion’s decision to fire shots at Kayla Harrison on the day of her second UFC fight. Harrison, who achieved lightweight title glory twice under the PFL banner, made the switch to MMA’s leading promotion this year, making a successful bantamweight and promotional […]

Continue Reading Larissa Pacheco Sticks Up For Kayla Harrison After PFL’s ‘Uncalled For’ Fight-Day Dig at MMA News.

It wasn’t just those outside of the PFL that took issue with the promotion’s decision to fire shots at Kayla Harrison on the day of her second UFC fight.

Harrison, who achieved lightweight title glory twice under the PFL banner, made the switch to MMA’s leading promotion this year, making a successful bantamweight and promotional debut at UFC 300 this past April.

And after dispatching Holly Holm, Harrison had the chance to add more top-five opposition to her record against Ketlen Vieira at this past weekend’s UFC 307 pay-per-view.

Harrison’s return to the Octagon was a hot topic in the lead-up to the Salt Lake City-held event. And her ex-employer looked to capitalize with a reminder of who handed the two-time Olympic gold medalist her sole defeat in MMA.

Just hours before her fight, PFL socials posted a video detailing Harrison’s 2022 loss to Larissa Pacheco, a move many saw as an attempt to mock the now-UFC star.

The post also came just days after PFL founder Donn Davis reiterated his disparaging remarks about Harrison’s PFL departure, accusing her of ‘running’ from a fight with Cris Cyborg and another showdown with Pacheco — whom Harrison has already defeated twice.

As it turns out, Pacheco herself wasn’t pleased to be used as a tool with which to take away from Harrison shortly before she made the walk in Utah.

Pacheco Tells PFL ‘You Don’t Need’ To Take Shots At Harrison

During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Pacheco reacted to the controversial PFL post, which was widely criticized and branded “nasty” by some in the community.

The Brazilian appeared to share the same sentiment as most, describing the move as “uncalled for.” She also encouraged her organization to focus on promoting her as its current top women’s fighter rather than putting energy into its former athletes.

“I thought that was uncalled for, honestly,” Pacheco said. “I think (PFL) have the champion they deserve, they have a respectful champion who has defeated Kayla, so why do that? Promote me right. Let’s promote the champion. ‘Oh, but Larissa beat Kayla.’ You don’t need that. I’ve shown (my work) with other results, I’ve proven myself, so you don’t need that.

“But anyway, that’s not on me. I have nothing to do with that. I respect Kayla. Our rivalry is over right now because she’s in another organization. Had she stayed here it would be the two of us and Cris clashing heads here, but there’s no reason to talk (about her now),” Pacheco continued. “I wish her good luck. The more she wins, the bigger my win over her gets, so I’ll always cheer for her.”

Pacheco, the only fighter to win gold in two PFL divisions, is set to make her return in Saudi Arabia next weekend. The Brazilian will do battle with an all-time great in Cyborg, with the pair co-headlining a pay-per-view event topped by Francis Ngannou’s MMA return.

Harrison, meanwhile, kept her ball rolling with a comfortable decision victory over Vieira at UFC 307. She’s now expected to receive her first shot at reaching the bantamweight mountaintop against newly crowned queen Julianna Peña.

Continue Reading Larissa Pacheco Sticks Up For Kayla Harrison After PFL’s ‘Uncalled For’ Fight-Day Dig at MMA News.

PFL Founder Touts Superior Women’s Division After UFC 307 Harrison, Peña Wins

UFC 307 was a big night for the women’s bantamweight division due to two match-ups that took place right at the top of the rankings. Julianna Peña was able to reclaim the 135-pound title by defeating Raquel Pennington via split decision in the co-main event. Earlier on in the night, Kayla Harrison cemented her status […]

Continue Reading PFL Founder Touts Superior Women’s Division After UFC 307 Harrison, Peña Wins at MMA News.

UFC 307 was a big night for the women’s bantamweight division due to two match-ups that took place right at the top of the rankings.

Julianna Peña was able to reclaim the 135-pound title by defeating Raquel Pennington via split decision in the co-main event.

Earlier on in the night, Kayla Harrison cemented her status as the next in line by defeating Ketlen Vieira via a unanimous decision.

Harrison’s return to the Octagon wasn’t without comment from her former home, the PFL, who received some criticism for posting about her loss to Larissa Pacheco on the same evening.

The use of Harrison’s time spent in the PFL didn’t stop being talking point there after the promotion’s founder commented once again on the day after UFC 307.

Donn Davis Says PFL’s Women’s Division Would ‘Crush’ The UFC’s, Lays Down A Challenge To Prove It

In a post on X, PFL founder Donn Davis made a statement that was followed by a challenge to the UFC regarding the strength of their female roster.

He took Cris Cyborg and Larissa Pacheco, who are set to face off on October 19, and put them up against the champion and top contender in the UFC’s 135-pound division.

Davis makes it clear that he would back Cyborg and Pacheco over Peña and Harrison and even offers to put money on it.

Following Dana White’s harsh comments regarding the success of the PFL in his post-UFC 307 press conference, Davis wrote “#DanaScared” underneath the post.

“It is clear from UFC 306 that @PFLMMA female division would crush @UFC. I am so confident… winner take all. PFL: Cyborg + Pacheco. UFC: Harrison + Peña. $2m to each fighter… losing company pays $8m total fighter purses”

Read also: Kayla Harrison On Being Bloodied For The First Time At UFC 307: ‘That Threw Me…’

Continue Reading PFL Founder Touts Superior Women’s Division After UFC 307 Harrison, Peña Wins at MMA News.

Kayla Harrison Believes Pacheco’s Power and Hunger Will Be Too Much for Aging Cris Cyborg

pfl 3 Kayla HarrisonDecorated MMA and Olympic champion Kayla Harrison has offered her opinion on the upcoming showdown between Larissa Pacheco and…

pfl 3 Kayla Harrison

Decorated MMA and Olympic champion Kayla Harrison has offered her opinion on the upcoming showdown between Larissa Pacheco and MMA legend Cris Cyborg.

Kayla Harrison on Larissa Pacheco vs. Cris Cyborg

Kayla Harrison was a multi-time gold medalist in the Olympics and a multi-time PFL MMA world champion. After a loss to Brazil’s Larissa Pacheco, Harrison jumped over to the UFC. The US-born Olympian has since submitted former champion Holly Holm.

Kayla Harrison

Brazil’s Cris Cyborg will be seeking her fifth MMA world title in the PFL as she takes on Pacheco on October 19. Cyborg has captured gold in Bellator, Strikeforce, Invicta, and the UFC.

Kayla Harrison predicted that Pacheco would defeat Cyborg in their fight at PFL: Battle Of The Giants. This event will be part of the debut of the promotion’s PPV Super Fights division, with both the winner of this fight and the main event between Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira receiving a new Super Fights belt.

“I think Pacheco wins. She’s young, I mean unless she’s been goofing off, you know. Couple mil will do that sometimes. Couple mil in the bank account makes it hard to get out of bed but she’s young, she’s hungry, she keeps getting better, she’s got real power. Cyborg’s at the end of her career.”

Harrison believes that Pacheco’s youth and hunger give her an advantage, provided she remains dedicated despite her financial success. She noted that Cyborg, at 39, is in the latter stages of her career, which might work in Pacheco’s favor. Harrison pointed out that Cyborg, who began her career in 2005, has not shown significant progress or growth in her fight strategy, unlike Pacheco.

“Yeah I think she’s a little bit older and I just think that we like we haven’t seen a lot of progress from her like I don’t see her fight IQ growing. I haven’t seen progression really, she fights the same way now that she fought, you know, however long ago so I think Pacheco is gonna win.”

Harrison is back competing later this year at UFC 307.

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.