Rich Franklin Sees ONE Championship as Potential New Home for Cris Cyborg’s Quest for a Sixth Title

Cris Cyborg

Cris Cyborg, a reigning legend in women’s MMA with championship titles in nearly every major promotion, recently added the PFL super-fight women’s featherweight belt to her achievements by defeating Larissa Pacheco. However, Cyborg has yet to claim a title in ONE Championship, which could be her next destination. Rich Franklin, ONE’s vice president and a longtime fan of Cyborg’s work, believes that the promotion would welcome a conversation with the multi-title holder about joining their ranks.

Franklin, speaking on MMA Junkie Radio, remarked,

“I think this is a Chatri (Sityodtong) conversation. Chatri and Matt Hume, because Matt Hume is head of competition, but I think that’s definitely a conversation that they would at least be interested in having.”

Franklin expressed that ONE’s leadership would not dismiss the idea, and he admitted he’d be thrilled to see Cyborg’s journey within the organization as a fan himself.

While Cyborg’s addition to ONE’s roster would undoubtedly be exciting, there’s a logistical hurdle. ONE Championship does not currently have a women’s featherweight division, the weight class where Cyborg has spent the bulk of her career. Known for her 145-pound dominance, Cyborg has built an impressive record with high-profile wins over fighters like Gina Carano, Holly Holm, Julia Budd, Cat Zingano, and Pacheco. Even so, the possibility of seeing her compete in ONE has captured Franklin’s imagination—and he believes it would also draw significant interest from MMA fans globally.

Franklin went on to emphasize that Cyborg’s presence would be a spectacle.

“It’s not one of those things where it’s like, ‘No, we’re not interested in that.’ That’s something that would for sure intrigue them,” he said, explaining that he, as a fan, would be captivated by the possibility of Cyborg climbing the ranks in ONE Championship.

The potential storyline of Cyborg attempting to win a sixth title in a new organization is compelling, especially given her established legacy across multiple promotions.

If Cyborg does choose to explore ONE Championship as her next challenge, it could prompt the organization to consider building a featherweight division—a move that would broaden its competitive landscape and bring in new fans. For now, it remains a topic of interest, but Franklin’s comments suggest that ONE Championship is open to the idea of Cyborg joining its roster and adding yet another historic chapter to her career.