It wasn’t a barn burner, nor a firefight, but the PFL Battle of the Giants co-main event between Cris Cyborg and Larissa Pacheco was both entertaining, and a little surprising.
Fearsome Cyborg, the Bellator MMA women’s featherweight champ, shooting takedowns and grappling? Pacheco looking like the fresher fighter, cool under fire at all times and able to hold her own in the stand-up?
In the opening round, it was Cris Cyborg in the driver’s seat along the fence. She tied up Pacheco; they then fired heavy shots off the break. Pacheco was bloodied by the ear.
As the round went on, Cyborg landed a takedown, and looked to secure a Von Flue choke. Pacheco survived, and back on the feet, the pair exchanged fire. Both women were holding their own and Pacheco appeared to be that rare specimen who could handle the fearsome Cyborg’s power. The Bellator champ then shot for another takedown, but Pacheco stayed upright, with her back to the fence. That said, off the break, Cyborg fired a left. Another takedown attempt from Cyborg saw her shoot into a guillotine, deep into it — but Pacheco didn’t quite have it, and was at risk of burning out her arm.
Cyborg would escape, and finish the round on top in a very competitive opening frame. The takedown combined with a glancing head kick may have won her the round.
Round two had Cyborg showing damage, a rare sight. She changed levels early, only for Pacheco to pull back. Cyborg fired a head kick, but didn’t have much on it. A big swing fanned for Cyborg as Pacheco retreated.
At the midway mark, Cyborg timed a takedown perfectly, and planted Pacheco on her back. The pair were along the fence, with Cyborg on top in half guard. Pacheco tried to frame Cyborg off with an elbow across the neck. The Bellator champ looked to land the odd punch and create some space to work; that appeared easier said than done. With 30 seconds or so on the clock the ref stood them up, with little of note from there as they headed to the third. Likely another round for Cris Cyborg.
Cyborg used a little more movement and stayed outside in the third, leading to Pacheco standing still, raising her arms, and suggesting that her fellow Brazilian didn’t want to engage. Pacheco fired a leg kick when they did come together. In this round, when the grappling came into play, it was Pacheco who was able to get on top. Cyborg was against the fence, Pacheco in her guard, with about two minutes on the clock. Cyborg closed her guard and tried to tie up Pacheco, clearly having accepted the position. Pacheco finished the round on top.
Round four saw Cyborg looking a step slower. She had another trail of blood trickling down one side of her face, and had eaten a number of Pacheco leg kicks. Those kicks were money for Larissa Pacheco, who also found success countering Cyborg with her right hand. Pacheco looked fresh as a daisy in comparison to Cyborg, but an overhand right from the legend had Pacheco retreating, and Cyborg on the attack! Pacheco, covering up, survived. Moments later, Pacheco countered a Cyborg kick with that laser-accurate right hand. Cyborg connected with her left in response.
The fifth and final frame had Cris Cyborg and Larissa Pacheco potentially tied. If that was the case, it was going to come down to who had more in the tank. Perhaps with that in mind, Cyborg came out swinging. Like a mirror image, however, Pacheco did as well, at the exact same time, with both just missing. Pacheco then fell back on her low kicks, but Cyborg had a big moment, unleashing a combo and bullying Pacheco back.
Pacheco went after a desperation takedown but survived, and they got back to the feet. Less than half a round remained. Again, Cyborg took some big swings. The right hand was uncorked again in the final 90 seconds of the fight, Cyborg looking to put Pacheco to sleep. Another right followed moments later, and Pacheco was forced to back off. Cyborg then landed a final takedown, nearly rolling through it; she backed off to let Pacheco out, and they both took a few final swings prior to the bell.
In the end, all four judges sided with Cris Cyborg, though the fight was not without its adversity. Pacheco, in fact, arguably gave Cyborg her toughest test since Amanda Nunes knocked her out during her UFC run. Still, it was Cyborg making history, adding a PFL SuperFight title to her Invicta, Strikeforce, Bellator, and UFC belts.
Official Result: Cris Cyborg def. Larissa Pacheco by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
