Cris Cyborg has doubled down on her pursuit of Dakota Ditcheva for her retirement fight, responding directly to the PFL star’s recent comments on The Ariel Helwani Show.
The 40-year-old featherweight champion took to social media to address Ditcheva’s skepticism about the matchup, pledging to make 135 pounds for a superfight scheduled for fall 2026.
“I can make 135 for a superfight in the fall @dakotadofficial,” Cyborg wrote. “If this is a fight you want… there isn’t a bigger fight that the @PFLMMA can put on for either one of us. I’m 40. My body carries much less muscle than it did when I struggled to make 140. I won’t miss weight for my retirement fight.”
The callout comes after Ditcheva appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show on January 13, where she questioned the logic of facing Cyborg at a catchweight. The undefeated flyweight contender suggested the legendary champion should instead face Leah McCourt, who has been requesting the fight for years.
“Respectfully, she’s not giving the fight. I am,” Ditcheva said on the show. “I 100% would be the one who sells that fight more. It would be a superfight, but she’s calling me out like she’s picking me. She needs me.”
Cyborg won the PFL featherweight title in December at PFL Lyon, submitting Sara Collins in the third round. The Brazilian legend has stated 2026 will mark her final year competing in MMA, making the choice of opponent for her farewell fight a significant decision for both her legacy and PFL’s promotional plans.
Ditcheva, currently recovering from a broken hand that forced her withdrawal from PFL Dubai in February, hopes to return in April or May. The 27-year-old captured the 2024 PFL flyweight tournament championship and remains undefeated at 15-0.
In the second-to-last fight of her MMA career, Cris Cyborg kept her position as one of the best female athletes in the sport, submitting Sara Collins to remain PFL women’s featherweight champion in the co-main event of PFL Lyon.
Collins had her fair share of moments in the fight, using leg kicks and trying to go use her jabs and grappling to keep Cyborg at bay. Cyborg, however, had the power edge and used it to her advantage, bringing pressure to Collins.
Collins scored a takedown in round two, but Cyborg’s attacks from the bottom, including a couple of submission attempts, looked to drain Collins’ energy. Cyborg’s power really came out in the third round, but Collins scored another takedown via a judo throw and threatened an Americana.
Cyborg, however, reversed and got to the back, putting Collins away with a choke — just the second win via submission in Cyborg’s career.
Cris Cyborg Submits Sara Collins To Retain Women’s Featherweight Title At PFL Lyon
Cris Cyborg gets it done with a rear naked submission as she defends her PFL Women's Featherweight World Title! ๐๐#PFLLyon | LDLC Arena, Lyon | ๐บLIVE NOW on the ESPN app pic.twitter.com/c571rRJGbV
Cyborg, who has captured championships in every promotion she has been in, became PFL women’s featherweight champion by defeating Larissa Pacheco at PFL Battle of the Giants last year.
This was Collins’ first fight since her own fight late last year, submitting Leah McCourt.
The PFL’s 2025 campaign is nearing its end, and two world champions and two PFL Europe tournament champions will be crowned on Saturday, December 13, with PFL Lyon in France. MMA News has you covered with all the action!
PFL Europe was the initial expansion effort of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), an effort that has since grown out to MENA in 2024. PFL Africa started up earlier this year, and PFL Pacific will be on the way.
With PFL looking to simplify its championship picture under the direction of new CEO John Martin, however, PFL Lyon will not only bring the conclusion to the PFL Europe season, but it will also bring us two PFL world champions.
The main event will see former Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov face 2023 PFL heavyweight season champion Renan Ferreira for the heavyweight world championship.
Since vacating the Bellator light heavyweight title to move up in weight, Nemkov has scored submissions of Bruno Cappelozza and Tim Johnson with the PFL earlier this year. Ferreira finished Ryan Bader in a PFL vs. Bellator heavyweight champions showdown before getting knocked out in seconds by Francis Ngannou at Battle of the Giants last year.
The PFL women’s featherweight champion will also be decided as the legendary Cris Cyborg faces Sara Collins. Cyborg has lost just twice in the sport and has racked up championships everywhere she has gone, including her PFL Super Fights title win over Larissa Pacheco. Collins is 6-0 in MMA, submitting Leah McCourt in her last fight one year ago.
The 2025 PFL Europe tournament champions will also be crowned earlier in the card, as Connor Hughes faces Alex Chizov at lightweight and Baris Adiguzel takes on Dean Garnett at bantamweight.
The event was broadcasted on DAZN in most countries, as well as via ESPN Unlimited in the U.S. If you missed any of the action, MMA News has you covered below with the full results and all the highlights below.
PFL Lyon Results & Highlights
Heavyweight World Championship: Vadim Nemkov def. Renan Ferreira via submission (arm-triangle choke) (R1, 4:00) Womens’ Featherweight World Championship.: Cris Cyborg def. Sara Collins via submission (rear-naked choke) (R3, 2:55) Welterweight Showcase.: Patrick Habirora def. Kevin Jousset via KO (R1, 2:42) Bantamweight Showcase.: Taylor Lapilus def. Liam Gittins via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) PFL Europe Bantamweight Tournament Championship.: Baris Adiguzel def. Dean Garnett via TKO (R1, 0:44) Light Heavyweight Showcase.: Boris Atangana def. Guilherme Soares via submission (rear-naked choke) (R2, 2:35) PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament Championship.: Alex Chizov def. Connor Hughes via KO (R3, 0:50) Bantamweight Showcase.: Gustavo Oliveira def. Movsar Ibragimov via KO (R2, 0:34) Women’s Flyweight Showcase.: Sabrinna de Sousa def. Paulina Wisniewska via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) Bantamweight Showcase.: Rayan Balbali def. Levi Batchelor via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
Rayan Balbali vs. Levi Batchelor
WE ARE LIVE! The first fight of the night! Rayan Balbali and Levi Batchelor kick off the action! #PFLLyon | LDLC Arena, Lyon | ๐บLIVE NOW on the ESPN app pic.twitter.com/1hocj7Fhig
Rayan Balbali with a spinning wheel kick as the action continues in Round 2 in the first fight of the night!#PFLLyon | LDLC Arena, Lyon | ๐บLIVE NOW on the ESPN app pic.twitter.com/omdk1eTbJm
Sabrinna Desousa with the arm triangle attempt from the feet on Paulina Wisniewska #PFLLyon | LDLC Arena, Lyon | ๐บLIVE NOW on the ESPN app pic.twitter.com/6QNC5qlKZt
What a beautiful left hook counter by Oliveira to get the second round TKO! #PFLLyon | LDLC Arena, Lyon | ๐บLIVE NOW on the ESPN app pic.twitter.com/zvYOMs3DBl
Aleksandr Chizov wobbles Connor Hughes and then Hughes returns fire as the action continues in this PFL Europe Lightweight Title bout!#PFLLyon | LDLC Arena, Lyon | ๐บLIVE NOW on the ESPN app pic.twitter.com/M0uuwcEu0e
Aleksandr Chizov turns off the lights with a 3rd Round KO over Connor Hughes to win the @PFLEurope Lightweight Title!#PFLLyon | LDLC Arena, Lyon | ๐บLIVE NOW on the ESPN app pic.twitter.com/ETOf1jPh3J
Boris Atangana gets the submission win over Guilherme Soares as he improves to 8-0! #PFLLyon | LDLC Arena, Lyon | ๐บLIVE NOW on the ESPN app pic.twitter.com/hHP3sgJU3g
Baris Adiguzel did not waste anytime with the first round finish as he is your 2025 @PFLEurope Bantamweight Champion#PFLLyon | LDLC Arena, Lyon | ๐บLIVE NOW on the ESPN app pic.twitter.com/XBRfgWYfum
There's something in the air always when Patrick Habirora fights as he gets another first round finish! ๐คฏ๐คฏ#PFLLyon | LDLC Arena, Lyon | ๐บLIVE NOW on the ESPN app pic.twitter.com/AmwGBOkuKK
Cris Cyborg gets it done with a rear naked submission as she defends her PFL Women's Featherweight World Title! ๐๐#PFLLyon | LDLC Arena, Lyon | ๐บLIVE NOW on the ESPN app pic.twitter.com/c571rRJGbV
PFL CEO John Martin on Wednesday announced that PFL Lyon will take place on December 13 at the LDLC Arena, headlined by a heavyweight championship showdown between former Bellator titleholder Vadim Nemkov and 2024 PFL tournament champion Renan Ferreira.
Breaking news: PFL is heading to Lyon, France on Saturday, December 13 at LDLC Arena.
โ Nemkov vs Ferreira: PFL Heavyweight World Title โ Cris Cyborg vs Sara Collins: PFL Womenโs Featherweight World Title
Nemkov last competed at the PFL Champions Series in Dubai this past January, where he secured a first-round submission over veteran Tim Johnson. The 33-year-old Russian is riding a dominant 14-fight unbeaten streak, boasting a professional record of 19-2 with 15 of those victories coming by way of stoppage.
Meanwhile, Ferreira returns to action for the first time since suffering a first-round TKO defeat to Francis Ngannou in their PFL Super Heavyweight Title clash in October 2024. Before that setback, โProblemaโ put together a four-fight win streak highlighted by knockout victories over Ryan Bader and Denis Goltsov.
The 35-year-old Brazilian powerhouse carries a 13-4 professional record, with 12 of those wins coming by way of stoppage.
Images: @vadimnemkov/@pflmma/Instagram
Cris Cyborg Faces Undefeated Sara Collins In PFL Lyon Co-Main Event
The co-main event of PFL Lyon marks the return of Cris Cyborg, who will square off against Sara Collins for the womenโs featherweight championship.
Cyborg was last seen in action inside the SmartCage in October 2024, where she defeated Larissa Pacheco via unanimous decision to capture the PFL Super Fights womenโs featherweight title. In 2025, the 40-year-old Brazilian legend has competed in the boxing ring, recording three knockout victories, two in March and another in May.
Earlier in her career, Cyborg defended her Bellator 145-pound title a record five times, cementing her legacy as one of the sportโs all-time greats. She enters this fight with a professional MMA record of 28-2, including 21 wins by knockout.
On the other hand, Collins will enter PFL Lyon riding a first-round submission victory over Leah McCourt at Bellator Champions Series London in September 2024. The 35-year-old Australian contender remains undefeated, boasting a perfect 6-0 record that includes three submission wins.
Boxing icon Claressa Shields has given her thoughts on potentially fighting MMA/boxing star Cris Cyborg at some point in the future.
For the longest time now, Claressa Shields has been seen as one of the best female boxers in the sport. On the flip side, Cris Cyborg is one of the best female mixed martial artists ever. Of course, both have crossed over into the other’s dominant sport, but up to this point in time they’ve never fought one another.
Professionally, that is. They’ve sparred in the past but right now, given where they’re at in their careers, it doesn’t seem overly likely that we’re going to get Claressa Shields vs Cris Cyborg.
With that being said, Claressa Shields actually had the following to say about a potential matchup – and she didn’t hold back.
Claressa Shields takes a shot at Cris Cyborg
โCris Cyborg is not vocal about [expletive]. Sheโs a hater and sheโs ugly.โ
โShe wanted me to go down to 47 and fight her with 12-ounce gloves or some bull crap. She doesnโt really want to fight.โ
โSheโs fighting girls who are trash in boxing, girls who the commission wouldnโt even let get inside the ring with me for sparring. I should have knocked her out when we sparred, but we were friends.โ
โCris Cyborg cannot box.โ
Shields is still only 30 years of age whereas Cyborg is 40. Who knows, maybe it’ll happen one day – but for now, trash talk is all that we’re going to get.
Mixed martial arts legend Cris Cyborg has opened up on her plans to retire from the sport after an incredible career.
While she may be 40 years of age, Cris Cyborg is still more than capable of going out there and putting on a show. She’s been doing it for a long time now across multiple sports, but after all of that success, it appears as if she’s finally starting to see the end of the road.
Cris Cyborg has won belts in a plethora of major organizations including the UFC, and when the dust settles, she’ll almost certainly go down in history as one of the greatest female fighters of all time.
In a recent interview, Cris Cyborg spoke candidly about her plans to retire from mixed martial arts, seemingly after two more fights.
“The reality is this decision has literally been (there) longer,” Cyborg said in an interview with James Lynch. “When I signed this current contract, we had already made the plan to finish the contract and retire, because we started the legacy tour when I fought against Larissa Pacheco. So I have two fights left, and I’m ready for the next chapter. Some fighters will never know when to end. I just turned 40 years old, I feel great, but we have to know when it’s time to stop.”
“I like to do step by step,” Cyborg said. “My next fight, I believe, is going to be Sara Collins. She’s undefeated, she beat Leah McCourt, she’s No. 1 in Australia, she fought girls at the top at 145 pounds. I believe she’s going to be next, and I like to think about the next one.”
Cris Cyborg is set to box Precious Harris-McCray on May 17 in the co-main event of Fight Night 3: San Jose, promotion officials announced. The six-round boxing match will take place at the Tech CU Arena in San Jose, California.
Cyborg, a multi-promotion MMA champion with a 6-0 record in boxing, will be entering her third boxing match this year. She recently secured two knockout victories in Colombia in March.
Her decision to participate in this boxing match under the Fight Night banner, promoted in part by Scott Coker, marks a reunion with a familiar figure from her Strikeforce and Bellator MMA days.
Cyborg reflected on the upcoming bout and her career milestone in a post on Instagram.
โBack in the Bay! ๐จMay 17th 2005 is the anniversary of my first professional fight. This year is the 20th year of my professional career and to celebrate: May 17th 2025. I will be fighting Precious Harris-McCray in a 6 round professional boxing fight in San Jose, CA with @fightnightsanjose.โ
While actively competing in boxing, Cyborg last stepped into the MMA cage in October 2024, where she defeated Larissa Pacheco at PFL: Battle of the Giants.
The bout marked the Brazilian’s first in 12 months. And by the sounds of things, fans could be waiting the same amount of time before seeing the 39-year-old back in action.
During a recent interview with Bloody Elbow’s Kyle Dimond prior to her latest win in the boxing ring this week, Cyborg outlined when she expects to make the walk to the PFL SmartCage for the second time.
“I believe my next MMA fight is gonna be in the fall,” she said. “So after the (boxing) fight, I just keep working, keep training, and yes, I believe itโs gonna be around that time.”
While many have suggested there might be a struggle finding adequate opposition for her, Cyborg already has a name in mind.
“PFL have other girls I can fight. They have Leah McCourt who can fight with me. We were already supposed to fight in Bellator to defend the title. They have other girls there.”
Guess whoโs ranked number 12 in the world as a professional boxer
MMA legend and PFL Super Fights champion Cris Cyborg is expanding her combat sports repertoire once again as she prepares for another professional boxing match.
The former champion across UFC, Invicta FC, Strikeforce and Bellator will face Karen Fernandes in a four-round super middleweight (154-pound) boxing bout on March 3 in Medellรญn, Colombia.
This marks her third professional boxing fight, showcasing her dedication to competing in multiple combat sports alongside her highly successful MMA career. Having secured stoppage victories in both of her 2024 boxing appearances โ one professional and one exhibition โ she aims to maintain her momentum inside the ring.
The announcement, made by her team, confirms that the fight will be available for streaming on CrisCyborg.com.
“I am excited to return to the boxing ring with an international fight in Colombia 3.3.25 ๐จ๐ด Donโt miss any of the BTS action from Fight Week with @onlyfans.โ
Her transition to boxing highlights her desire to test her skills in different combat arenas, keeping her options open as she continues to compete at the highest levels.
2024 has provided some problems for the PFL that they haven’t had to deal with in the past. Despite having the PFL debut of Francis Ngannou and some great performances on the 2024 World Championships card, a lot of the talk surrounding the promotion as of late has revolved around the fighters that haven’t been in action.
Following the acquisition of Bellator last year, the PFL was always going to have to work out how to keep a huge amount of new fighters on the roster busy and happy. This has not been the case for some of the top names in the promotion including Bellator champions like Patrรญcio Pitbull, Cris Cyborg and Patchy Mix who have all complained about not being as active as they would like.
In a recent social media post, PFL founder Donn Davis hit back at some of the criticisms by stating that the promotion always has and always will offer each athlete the opportunity to compete twice per calendar year. It is also worth noting that the following post was edited with a slight change to the wording.
The post originally read that the PFL did “a good job” before it was later changed to state that the promotion did the “best we could”.
“PFL has ALWAYS provided all fighters 2 fights a year โฆ When we acquired Bellator THEY had ZERO fight events scheduled for their Bellator 210 fighters in 2024. @PFLMMA stepped in and did best we could for them in 2024 โฆ 2025 ALL fighters again 2 fights a year!”
PFL has ALWAYS provided all fighters 2 fights a year โฆ
When we acquired Bellator THEY had ZERO fight events scheduled for their Bellator 210 fighters in 2024.@PFLMMA stepped in and did best we could for them in 2024 โฆ
2025 ALL fighters again 2๏ธโฃ fights a year! #PFL
Cyborg, who is the Bellator featherweight champion, has been one of the most vocal about her issues with the PFL but this has quietened down since her fight with Larissa Pacheco in October. The Brazilian icon responded to Davis’ post and showed her support for the promotion.
Excited to be a part of this as part of my Legacy Tour ๐๐ฝ loved having the opportunity to be the first women world championship in the sport of MMA to fight in the country of Saudi and feel motivated seeing women like @hattanalsaif24 come behind me as the future of @PFLMENA ๐ฅ
Bellator is PFLโs property, many fighters didnโt fight a single time and many like me only fought once.
You said youโd honor everyoneโs contracts and give them 2 fights this year. You didnโt. You cut over 70% of the roster and had many renegotiate their pay. (1/2) https://t.co/Zvx4NS45H8
Since acquiring Bellator and the majority of the promotion’s roster towards the end of 2023, it has been a difficult year for the PFL in some ways. Throughout 2024, several big names and champions have publicly voiced their issues with not being offered fights for various reasons.
As a result, we’ve seen big names like Gegard Mousasi leave the promotion whilst other top stars like Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix have recently started to air their issues over fights being cancelled and not rescheduled with little communication. Pitbull in particular stated that if he isn’t going to be offered any fights, he would like to be released so that he can go and fight elsewhere with an opportunity to finally compete in the UFC being a big attraction for him.
In his post-fight press conference for UFC 310 this past Saturday, Dana White gave his thoughts on the fighters that are becoming frustrated with how they have been treated in the PFL.
“Listen, the last couple of months, we’ve been talking a lot about the PFL. They’re cancelling a lot of shows, I know that a lot of guys that are supposed to fight aren’t fighting and… I mean, you guys know what the f*** is going on. When you see that start to happen, you’re running out of money, things aren’t looking good and you’re gonna have people that want to jump ship. These guys want to fight. You have a very limited time of opportunity when you’re a professional athlete and even less when you’re a fighter. So I’m sure you’re gonna see a lot of that and we’ll see how this plays out over the next several months going into 25.”
Arguably the most outspoken major name regarding being unsatisfied with their treatment in the PFL has been Cris Cyborg. After beating Cat Zingano at the second to last Bellator event before the promotion was sold, she had to wait just over a year to get her next fight booked.
Following her win over Felicia Spencer back in 2019, White stated that the UFC would not be re-signing the former champion after Cyborg’s contract had expired following a less than stellar relationship between the two parties. However, in a social media post reacting to the UFC boss’ recent comments at the press conference, it appears that the Brazilian isn’t opposed to stepping back inside the Octagon, especially if it means settling a score once and for all.
PFL Battle of the Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira took place on pay-per-view Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!
The Professional Fighters League hosted its second PPV of the year at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the main attractionย saw former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou make his long-awaited return to mixed martial arts.
Having not competed in the cage since a victory over Ciryl Gane in January 2022 โ completing a pair of boxing matches opposite Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the period since โย โThe Predatorโ made an emphatic MMA comebackย at the expense of last yearโs PFL heavyweight title winner Renan Ferreira, whom he pummeled inside one round.
Setting the stage for the headliners was another Super Fights championship clash, with reigning Bellator featherweight queen Cris Cyborg debuting in the SmartCage opposite the PFLโs first two-weight champion, Larissa Pacheco. The 39-year-old legend continued to make history, capturing gold in a fifth major promotion by outpointing her fellow countrywoman.
Elsewhere, Bellator gold was on the line in the Middle East when middleweight champ Johnny Eblen ran it back with Fabian Edwards and the stakes were high when the massively touted Paul Hughes got a step up in competition against AJ McKee.
With the event concluded, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights!
PFL Battle Of The Giants: Ngannou vs. Ferreira Results & Highlights
Main Card:
Heavyweight Superfight Championship: Francis Ngannou def. Renan Ferreira via KO (ground punches): R1, 3:32
Cris Cyborg has once again done something that no one else has ever done before โ capture a championship in a fifth major MMA promotion.
Cyborg managed to do this by defeating the first two-weight PFL champion, Larissa Pacheco, in the first PFL superfight championship bout as part of the PFL Battle of the Giants pay-per-view in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Brazilian now becomes the first fighter to win gold in the UFC, Bellator, PFL, Strikeforce, and Invicta โ all at 145 pounds.
The MMA legend used her striking prowess to pressure Pacheco in the begininng of the fight, getting her against the fence before landing a takedown. Cyborg looked for a surprising Von Flue choke, and while her compatriot got back to her feet, she ate a solid head kick. The 39-year-old performed strongly and busted Pacheco open around her ear, though Cyborg wore damage around her eyes.
Both fighters came out strong in the second round, with Cyborg landing a series of strikes and a clean backfist. The veteran applied pressure as she got Pacheco back to the ground. Cyborg remained control in the second round, but Pacheco seemed to battle back in a quieter third round. There, the PFL star got the former UFC champ to the ground, dropping her with a right hand and attacking from the top. Cyborg defended well, but Pacheco looked to open her back up.
Cyborg went on to land strong combinations in the championship rounds, while Pacheco looked to land her own power shots. In the fourth frame, in fact, the reigning Bellator titleholder landed a power shot that appeared to get Pacheco to retreat.
The 39-year-old continued to land at will in the fifth round and ended up taking all three judges’ cards with 49-46 scores.
Cris Cyborg Wins 5th Major MMA Championship, Becomes First-Ever PFL Super Fight Champion
– Current PFL women's featherweight champion – Current Bellator women's featherweight champion – Former UFC champion – Former Invicta FC champion – Former Strikeforce champion
This should go without saying at this point, but @CrisCyborg deserves ALL the flowers. Holding a title in every major MMA organization in the United States is such a legendary feat that wonโt happen again in our lifetime. ๐ #PFLSuperFights
Cyborg entered tonight having lost just twice in her professional MMA career, her pro debut in 2005 and her superfight against Amanda Nunes at the end of 2018.
The first to win gold in four major MMA promotions (Strikeforce, Invicta, UFC and Bellator), the Brazilian had not fought in MMA since her successful Bellator title defense against Cat Zingano at Bellator 300 last year.
Meanwhile, this marked Pacheco’s first fight since winning the PFL women’s featherweight title in 2023, becoming the first fighter to win gold in more than one weight class inside the SmartCage. Pacheco won the PFL women’s lightweight title in 2022 in her trilogy fight with Kayla Harrison, becoming the sole loss in Harrison’s MMA career.
Having not competed in the cage since a victory over Ciryl Gane in January 2022 โ completing a pair of boxing matches opposite Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the period since โ โThe Predatorโ will look to make an emphatic MMA comeback at the expense of last yearโs PFL heavyweight title winner, Renan Ferreira.
Setting the stage for the headliners will be another Super Fights championship clash, with reigning Bellator featherweight queen Cris Cyborg debuting in the SmartCage opposite the PFLโs first two-weight champion, Larissa Pacheco.
Elsewhere, Bellator gold will be on the line in the Middle East when middleweight champ Johnny Eblen runs it back with Fabian Edwards and the stakes will be high when the massively touted Paul Hughes gets a step up in competition against AJ McKee.
Ahead of the event,ย all 18 fighters successfully made weight. With that, every fight has remained intact, and all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the PFL: Battle of the Giants ceremonial weigh-ins!
The same stakes will also exist in the co-headliner as legend Cris Cyborg battles the PFL’s first two-weight title winner Larissa Pacheco for the featherweight belt, while Bellator gold will be on the line beforehand when Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards run it back.
PFL Battle Of The Giants: Ngannou vs. Ferreira Weigh-In Results
The PFL’s “Battle of the Giants” event takes place on Saturday, October 19, at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card begins at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.
With that said, check out the full weigh-in results below!
Main Card:
Heavyweight Superfight Championship: Francis Ngannou (256.8lbs) vs. Renan Ferreira (261.5lbs)
Weโre deep into fight week for the PFL’s second pay-per-view of the year, meaning it was recently time for the fighters set to be in action on October 19 to take to the stage and answer some questions.
Having not competed in the cage since a victory over Ciryl Gane in January 2022 โ completing a pair of boxing matches opposite Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the period since โ “The Predator” will look to make an emphatic MMA comeback at the expense of last year’s PFL heavyweight title winner, Renan Ferreira.
Setting the stage for the headliners will be another Super Fights championship clash, with reigning Bellator featherweight queen Cris Cyborg debuting in the SmartCage opposite the PFL’s first two-weight champion, Larissa Pacheco.
Elsewhere, Bellator gold will be on the line in the Middle East when middleweight champ Johnny Eblen runs it back with Fabian Edwards and the stakes will be high when the massively touted Paul Hughes gets a step up in competition against AJ McKee.
As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Thursday for the pre-fight press conference.
Itโs a clash of former champions between one of Bellatorโs finest in AJ โMercenaryโ McKee and rising European prospect Paul โBig Newsโ Hughes
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 Peรฑa 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 confidentโฆ winner take all. PFL: Cyborg + Pacheco. UFC: Harrison + Peรฑa. $2m to each fighterโฆ losing company pays $8m total fighter purses”
It is clear from UFC 306 that @PFLMMA female division would crush @UFC
I am so confident โฆ winner take all
PFL: Cyborg + Pacheco UFC: Harrison + Pena
$2m to each fighter โฆ losing company pays $8m total fighter purses #PFL#UFC#MMA#DanaScared
Kayla Harrison fighting Cris Cyborg is a fight that has been spoken about for many years, but looks to be completely off the table at this stage.
The former PFL and Bellator champions could’ve put on one of the biggest fights possible outside of the UFC but with Harrison signing to the MMA leader, it wasn’t possible even with Cyborg joining the PFL in the Bellator acquisition.
Now, on October 19, Cyborg will fight a PFL champion but it will instead be the only woman to have beaten the former Olympic Judoka during her pro career.
Larissa Pacheco has won back-to-back PFL tournaments including her shock upset win over the former champ in 2023.
Kayla Harrison Picks Larissa Pacheco To Defeat Cris Cyborg, Says Age A Key Factor
In a recent interview with Inside Fighting, Harrison picked Pacheco to get the better of Cyborg when they clash at PFL: Battle Of The Giants.
The bout is set to be the co-main event for the debut of the promotion’s PPV Super Fights division, which will see both the winner of this fight and the main event between Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira receive a new Super Fights belt.
Harrison said that as long as Pacheco hasn’t lost her dedication, after being able to earn a lot of money, she has the edge in this fight.
“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 then elaborated on the idea that in her opinion, Cyborg is in the final stages of her career now at 39 years old, which gives Pacheco an advantage.
The Brazilian MMA icon made her pro debut back in 2005, whereas Pacheco wouldn’t make hers until seven years after in 2012.
“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.”
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, hasnโt 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.
Heโs 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.
“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 PFLโs 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
Oddsmakers are seeing one of the two blockbuster matchups announced for the next PFL pay-per-view as a lot closer than the otherโฆ
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.
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 Cรฉdric Doumbรฉ 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.
Former UFC champions Francis Ngannou and Cris Cyborg both have their mixed martial arts returns and PFL debuts in the calendar.
Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight kingpin, hasnโt competed in MMA since his successful title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022. Since then, heโs departed the MMA leader off the back of a lengthy contractual dispute and found a new home.
โThe Predatorโ put pen to paper on an exclusive MMA deal with the PFL last May, which also sees him as the chairman of PFL Africa, set to launch in 2025. Heโs yet to enter the SmartCage, however, instead using the freedom granted to him to complete a long-desired venture to the boxing ring.
And after shocking the world with his performance against then-WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Ngannou remained in the boxing world for a blockbuster matchup with former two-time unified champ Anthony Joshua.
The PFL announced in a press release this week that “The Predator” will debut in a pay-per-view main event on October 19. As expected, he’ll share the Octagon with Renan Ferreira, the promotion’s 2023 heavyweight champ who secured the much sought-after Ngannou bout by stopping Ryan Bader in seconds this past February.
While a location hasn’t been confirmed, the PFL’s second PPV event of 2024 has long been touted to once again take place in Saudi Arabia.
Image: PFL MMA
In the release, Ngannou commented on his confirmed first foray into the PFL cage, noting that he’s had his eyes on “Problema” for a while.
โRenan is a great fighter; I have been watching him for years,โ Ngannou said. โI have been studying him for years, in fact Iโve been telling people to watch this guy. Heโs quite unique, heโs athletic, fast, his size doesnโt impress me as much as his skill.โ
The two powerhouses, whose clash is dubbed “Battle of the Giants,” will compete for a Super Fight belt, the first editions of which were up for grabs at the PFL vs. Bellator card in Riyadh earlier this year.
Ngannou won’t be the only major name making a long-awaited return, with Bellator Women’s Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg making the walk to compete in MMA for the first time since October 2023.
Cyborg Finally Gets PFL Debut, Faces Pacheco On Ngannou Undercard
Cyborg has been frequently calling for a booking since the Professional Fighters League officially acquired the Bellator brand late last year.
The Brazilian has finally gotten her wish, however, and will meet Pacheco, the PFL’s first-ever two-weight title winner, on the undercard of Ngannou’s momentous MMA comeback this fall.
Cyborg has defended her featherweight belt five times since winning it in January 2020. She’ll now have the chance to add another strap to her collection at the expense of Pacheco, who defeated Kayla Harrison to win the 2022 PFL lightweight season and Marina Mokhnatkina to capture last year’s inaugural 145-pound title.
๐จ BREAKING ๐จ
HE'S BACK! ๐The Return of @francis_ngannou 4โฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ 2โฃ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฆ ๐ข๐ก ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ 1โฃGigantic night of MMA
The women’s list, meanwhile, was topped by former two-division titleholder Amanda Nunes, who brought her career to an end following a successful defense of the bantamweight belt last June.
The “Lioness” pipped Cris Cyborg and Ronda Rousey to the post, with the pair of ex-champs coming in at second and third, respectively.
19 years ๐
Beginning, middle, and the end of all of these careers
The entries included a description of each woman’s accomplishments in the game. For Cyborg, that’s currently occupying the Bellator featherweight throne and formerly holding UFC, Strikeforce, and Invicta FC gold, making her the only fighter to win championships in four major MMA promotions.
McGregor, however, thinks ESPN missed out a key piece of information.
McGregor Sends Cyborg Reminder After Seeing ESPN List
The former featherweight and lightweight UFC champ was a point of discussion following the release of the men’s top 10, having missed out on a spot among the likes of Chuck Liddell and Kamaru Usman.
Perhaps agitated by his omission or simply keeping up with his habit of targeting fellow fighters on social media, McGregor looked to take away from Cyborg’s accomplishments and high placement on ESPN’s list with a reminder about her past drug failure.
Image: @TheNotoriousMMA on X
“Cyborg is a convicted steroid cheat let’s not forget,” McGregor wrote in a now-deleted post on X.
Cyborg tested positive for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid commonly used as a performance-enhancing drug, in December 2011. The California Athletic State Commission suspended Cyborg’s license for one year and fined her $2,500 for the indiscretion.
The Brazilian’s drug test failure remained a topic of conversation in the years that followed, with UFC CEO Dana White making reference to it prior to Cyborg’s bitter split from the promotion in 2019.
“We brought in her after she tested positive for steroids and we made her a clean athlete with the best drug testing policy in all of sports the entire time she was here,” White said during a media scrum. “When she talks about her legacy and her brand, her legacy and her brand, nothingโs better than knowing sheโs a clean athlete after testing positive for steroids and all the negativity that surrounded her about being a dirty athlete. We bring her in here, we do all this stuff, and she was just never happy.”
Cyborg hasn’t tested positive for banned substances aside from the 2011 case.
When it comes to her legacy and spot in women’s MMA greatness, Cyborg appears far from done. While Nunes remains on the sidelines pondering a return from retirement, Cyborg has been pushing for her PFL debut since the promotion acquired Bellator.
By all accounts, the Bellator featherweight champ is being lined up to face her PFL counterpart, Larissa Pacheco, at a pay-per-view event in Saudi Arabia this fall.
However, Bellator had been interested in signing Harrison as well. When the prospect of Bellator as a landing spot arose, Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg began to perk up.
Cyborg and Harrison have had many Twitter exchanges in recent months, with Harrison even inviting Cyborg to her gym to have a training/sparring session with her recently. That was not an overly friendly invitation, however, more like a “say this to my face” sort of thing.
Now that Harrison has re-upped with PFL, it seems that Cyborg is done with the talk and blocked her on Twitter.
Cyborg wrote a now-deleted tweet saying, “Tell me you only got 50K followers without telling me you only have 50Kโฆengagement farming is so basic,” and then blocked her. Harrison reacted to this news by again welcoming a fight against the Bellator champion.
Dang it. I went too far. Cris please fight me! I wonโt use judo just wrestling. pic.twitter.com/1STSXA9ODb
“Nah. I blocked her cause she could have signed with @BellatorMMA and made the fight but didnโt,” Cyborg wrote.
The details of Harrison’s PFL contract are not completely announced, but it is a multi-year contract. With her tied to PFL for the next few seasons, the likelihood that she will ever meet Cyborg in the cage is looking slim. Cyborg is 36 years old and could be nearing the end of a long career that began in 2005.
What are your thoughts on Cris Cyborg blocking Kayla Harrison on Twitter?
Bellator MMA is set to return to Hawaii next month and will be bringing some blockbuster matchups with it to the islands.
The promotion hasn’t headed to the off-the-mainland state since it held Bellator 235 and 236 on consecutive nights in 2019. Now, with a pandemic that shut down travel, sport, and large gatherings across the world beginning to die down, the mixed martial arts spotlight is set to return to Hawaii.
As first reported by KHON2, Bellator will once again be putting on two events on back-to-back dates. As well as hosting Bellator 278 on April 22, the Neal S. Blaisdell Center will see Bellator 279 go down the very next night.
Bellator is finalizing a return to Hawaii, the weekend of April 22-23, per multiple sources. The Aloha State hasnโt held MMA events since the pandemic outbreak. April is the first month allowing permit applications.
While there’s yet to be any fights added to the opening night, Bellator 279 is already shaping up to be a must-watch card. With multiple title fights set to go down, two of Bellator’s top champions will return to action.
Challenging her in Honolulu will be familiar foe Arlene Blencowe (15-8). Since falling short of dethroning Cyborg in 2020, the Australian 38-year-old has won back-to-back contests against Dayana Silva and Pam Sorensen, earning herself a second crack at the belt.
Elsewhere, as part of the $1 million Bantamweight Grand Prix, Sergio Pettis (22-5) will put his 135-pound title on the line against Raufeon Stots (17-1). Since leaving the UFC for Bellator in 2019, “The Phenom” has built a four-fight win streak that includes a championship crowning versus Juan Archuleta and a successful defense and knockout of the year contender against the great Kyoji Horiguchi.
Like Pettis, Stots has remained unbeaten on the Bellator stage. In five appearances, “Supa” has extended his MMA win streak to nine and defeated the likes of Magomed Magomedov and Josh Hill. In 18 career fights, Stots’ one defeat came at the hands of top-10 UFC bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili.
In another notable bout, Horiguchi (29-4) will make his third appearance in the Bellator cage against Patchy Mix (15-1). That clash will mark another first-round Grand Prix context. Elsewhere, Hawaii’s Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-1) will square off against Justine Kish (7-5).
Kayla Harrison is getting tired of Cris Cyborg’s tweets about her.
On Tuesday evening, it was revealed the PFL has matched Bellator‘s offer and it’s likely Harrison will sign back with PFL. After the news came out by MMA reporter Ariel Helwani, Cyborg chimed in with a response.
โHey @criscyborg @ me if you have something to say,โ Harrison quote tweeted. โIโm so sick of this shit. @AmericanTopTeamโs addy is 5750 sr 7 coconut creek fl. Iโm there 6 days a week.โ
Of course, had Harrison signed with Bellator, she would’ve fought at featherweight and would have been an immediate title challenger for Cyborg. It would be a massive fight, as Cyborg is considered one of the best featherweights of all time while Harrison is undefeated but hasn’t been tested enough, so the bout makes sense. However, it appears the two-time Olympic gold medalist is set to re-sign with PFL.
Kayla Harrison (12-0) won the 2021 PFL women’s lightweight tournament as she defeated Taylor Guardado by submission. In the 2021 season, she also defeated Genah Fabian by TKO, Cindy Dandois by submission, and Mariana Morais by TKO.
Harrison has competed at featherweight before as in 2020 with PFL not having a season, she fought Courtney King in Invicta. There, she scored a TKO win, but that is the only time she cut down to 145lbs.
With Harrison re-signing with PFL, she will look to become a three-time champion. However, she will likely have her biggest test to date as PFL did ink former Bellator champion Julia Budd to compete this season.
Are you surprised Kayla Harrison re-signed with PFL? And what do you make of her interaction with Cris Cyborg?
