Tomorrow in the co-main event of the PFL Battle of the Giants, we are going to see a huge matchup between two of the best female fighters in the world. Current Bellator featherweight champion and one of the best of all time, Cris Cyborg (27-2), makes her return as she takes on two-time PFL champion Larissa Pacheco (23-4).
For Cyborg, this is her first MMA bout in a year and this is just her second MMA bout since April 2022. The Bellator champion has fought four times in boxing winning all four bouts, but she hasn’t had a lot of competition sent her way when it comes to MMA. Of course, Bellator was acquired last year by the PFL which opened up the door to new competition.
Cyborg’s fight fight came against Cat Zingano who she dominated and stopped in the first round. It was Cyborg’s fifth title defense since moving to Bellator after her run in the UFC. Every organization Cyborg’s been in, she’s climbed to the very top. She’s looking to show that again tomorrow when she takes on PFL’s best.
After a decent run in the UFC, Larissa Pacheco made her way to the PFL in 2019. In her first season, she lost twice, both to Kayla Harrison. One of those fights came in the tournament final. Since then, she hasn’t lost. In 2021, her and Harrison appeared on a collision course again, but a weight miss took Pacheco out of the playoffs.
In 2022, she returned fully focused and dedicated. She handed Kayla Harrison her only professional loss in the lightweight finals. From there, she dropped to 145 and won last year’s PFL featherweight championship. Overall, Pacheco has now won ten fights in a row leading her to this incredible fight with Cris Cyborg.
PFL Prediction
I’ve seen a lot of people draw the comparison of this fight and Cyborg’s UFC title fight against Amanda Nunes. Pacheco is the faster fighter and she might also be the better grappler. She carries a lot of power in her hands and she does remind me a lot of Amanda Nunes. She’s extremely well-rounded just like the GOAT.
That said, she’s not Amanda Nunes, and I’m not sure she’s going to be able to do what Nunes did to Cris Cyborg. I think that Pacheco has power, but she doesn’t have Amanda Nunes or Cris Cyborg power. While Cyborg is getting older, I think she will be at a big advantage on the feet in this matchup in her PFL debut.
Cyborg’s power is different and I think you’ll see a very cautious Larissa Pacheco. In fact, I think Pacheco might look to wrestle early in this fight. If Pacheco gets too wild, I could see her getting hurt on the feet and finished by Cyborg. If she takes her time and mixes her grappling well, I could see her well-roundedness winning her the fight.
So, who am I picking in PFL’s Battle of the Giants? I’m going with the betting underdog, Cris Cyborg. Cyborg is one of those fighters where I almost have to see her lose to believe it. Yes, Amanda Nunes beat her, but Pacheco is not Amanda Nunes. I think the power plays here and Cyborg wins.
Prediction: Cris Cyborg by TKO