Larissa Pacheco: Cris Cyborg Matchup in Saudi Arabia is Legacy-Building Fight

WASHINGTON D.C. -- Larissa Pacheco is arguably the most accomplished women’s fighter in Professional Fighters League history, even with former Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison having won the PFL’s lightweight title multiple times and owning two wins over the Brazilian.

When Harrison departed the promotion for the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2024, there was no denying what she had done in her time with the PFL, but Pacheco, who defeated Harrison in their third and most recent meeting, now had a case for her accomplishments with the company.

Traveling a completely opposite path than Harrison, Pacheco joined the PFL in 2019 after a brief tenure with the UFC from 2014 to 2015 and has built herself quite a long championship résumé. Having lost in the 2019 Championship to Harrison, Pacheco would etch her name in PFL history in 2022 and 2023, where she won both the women’s lightweight and featherweight championships in separate years, becoming the first two-division female champion in PFL history.

Those accomplishments, including the 2023 featherweight championship, have laid the framework for Pacheco with another highlight opportunity in a superfight against Cristiane Justino, the only women’s Grand Slam champion in mixed martial arts history. Better known as Cris Cyborg, the fellow Brazilian earned titles in Invicta Fighting Championships, Strikeforce, UFC and Bellator MMA. A win could make a case for Pacheco joining the discussion among the greatest female fighters ever.

On Thursday, the two were scheduled to meet at the “Battle of the Giants” press conference in Washington D.C., but Cyborg had to cancel due to a family emergency. Still coming out to make a quick appearance, Pacheco released a short but very impactful statement on the upcoming on Oct. 19 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“This is the most anticipated fight in women’s MMA history,” Pacheco said. “I am thrilled with the opportunity. I am here to showcase my work. Cris Cyborg is a legend, and I am here to beat the legend and become the legend.”