WASHINGTON, D.C. — Larissa Pacheco is arguably the best female fighter in Professional Fighters League history, even though former Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison has won the PFL lightweight title multiple times and has two victories over the Brazilian.
When Harrison moved to the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2024, there was no denying what she had accomplished during her time with the PFL, but Pacheco, who defeated Harrison in their third and most recent bout, was now in a position to claim her own legacy with the company.
Taking a completely opposite path to Harrison, Pacheco has built a lengthy championship resume since joining the PFL in 2019 after a brief stint with UFC from 2014 to 2015. After losing to Harrison for the championship in 2019, Pacheco will make PFL history in 2022 and 2023 when she won the women’s lightweight and featherweight championships in separate years, becoming the first woman in PFL history to hold two weight classes.
Those accomplishments, including a featherweight championship in 2023, have laid the foundation for another highlight for Pacheco: a superfight with Cristiane Justino, the only women’s Grand Slam champion in mixed martial arts history. The Brazilian, better known as Cris Cyborg, has held titles in Invicta Fighting Championship, Strikeforce, UFC and Bellator MMA. A win could put Pacheco in the discussion as one of the greatest female fighters of all time.
The two were scheduled to meet on Thursday in Washington, D.C. for a “Battle of the Giants” press conference, but Cyborg was forced to cancel due to a family emergency. Still, during the brief appearance, Pacheco made a short but very impactful statement about the press conference, which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 19.
“This is the most anticipated fight in the history of women’s mixed martial arts,” Pacheco said. “I’m excited for this opportunity. I’m here to show my skills. Cris Cyborg is a legend and I’m here to beat a legend and become a legend myself.”
