Bellator MMA women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg wants to fight in the first half of 2024.
On Sunday, the Brazilian star took to social media (or at least, whoever runs her social media did) to request a fight in the first half of the year, tagging both the PFL and Bellator MMA. She also tagged SRJ Sports Investment, a leading Saudi sports investment group that recently struck a deal with the PFL to invest in the promotion.
Cyborg, 38, added that “the longer I sit without an MMA fight the less likely [the Larissa Pacheco] fight happens in 2024.” Pacheco, the PFL’s women’s featherweight champ (and first double champ, having won the league’s lightweight tournament in 2023), is widely considered the biggest fight the PFL could make for Cyborg following Kayla Harrison signing with the UFC.
Jan, Feb, March, April, May, June.@PFLMMA or @BellatorMMA
Can I get a fight booked during the first half of 2024?!@PeteMurrayPFL @DonnDavisPFL
The longer I sit without an MMA fight the less likely @lpacchec fight happens in 2024 @srjsports
My last MMA fight was Oct. pic.twitter.com/QA4pdA1bTS
— CrisCyborg.Com (@criscyborg) February 4, 2024
In a response to a fan suggesting fights are booked on the phone rather than social media, Cyborg claimed that “My phone call to Peter [Murray, PFL CEO] after Kayla left to the UFC still hasn’t been returned.”
Cyborg (27-2, 1NC) previously suggested she would retire from mixed martial arts following her next fight, though it seems she may be reconsidering that notion if she’s open to taking a fight in addition to a potential Pacheco match-up. The fearsome Brazilian, who has held gold in Invicta FC, Strikeforce, the UFC, and Bellator MMA, is currently dabbling in a boxing career, where she is undefeated.
In her last outing this past October, Cris Cyborg defeated former UFC title challenger Cat Zingano. Aside from Pacheco, Bellator featherweight Leah McCourt, coming off a win over ex-UFC title contender Sara McMann, remains an option for Cyborg. Bellator, now owned by the PFL, heads to McCourt’s native Belfast in March.
