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Larissa Pacheco is on the verge of what could be the most significant victory of her career as she gears up to face MMA legend Cris Cyborg on October 19 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Despite Cyborg’s iconic status in women’s MMA, Pacheco is already anticipating the backlash that might come even if she defeats her fellow Brazilian in the co-main event of PFL’s pay-per-view.
Pacheco has been unstoppable recently, racking up ten consecutive wins, including two PFL championships across different weight classes. Her win streak also features a notable victory over Kayla Harrison in 2022, a decision that showcased her dominance. However, Pacheco remains realistic about how some fans and analysts may react to a potential win over Cyborg.
“Beating her, when I beat her, they’ll still say, ‘Oh, it’s easy now, Larissa is nine years younger than Cris,’” Pacheco shared with MMA Fighting. “They’ll always have excuses for my wins. But I couldn’t care less. What matters is to go there and win and prove it to myself. I have nothing to prove to anyone else. No one pays my bills, and I don’t owe anyone anything.”
Cyborg, a former UFC champion, has remained dominant since leaving the UFC in 2019, winning six straight MMA fights and achieving success in boxing. The road to this matchup has been filled with delays, leading Pacheco to wonder if it would ever happen. But her persistence in training paid off as the fight is now set to go ahead.
“[This fight] is not my dream,” Pacheco admitted. “It’s not something I’ve looked up to my entire career because she wasn’t even in the PFL until this year. But it’s funny because a friend reminded me that seven years ago, I said we’d fight one day, and now here we are.”
Both fighters are known for their aggressive styles, making this bout a highly anticipated showdown. Pacheco acknowledged the unpredictable nature of the fight, stating,
“We have an idea of how the fight will play out, but we never know for sure. We’re both aggressive and walk forward the entire time, with no turning back. It’s like a lottery. Who goes down first? I don’t know, but what I do know is that we’ll both give our all in there.”
In a sport where respect and rivalries often go hand in hand, Pacheco wishes nothing but success for her past opponents, including Harrison, whom she defeated once in their three meetings.
“I want her to be champion, to continue to grow, and to ensure that everything goes well in her life, and she only has one [loss] there. ‘Larissa! Larissa!’ Echoing forever in her head,” Pacheco said, chuckling.
As fight night approaches, Pacheco remains focused on what matters most: stepping into the cage and giving her best performance, regardless of the critics.
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