Cris Cyborg not holding back for PFL title fight with Larissa Pacheco

Nine months ago, as rumors swirled of a highly anticipated women’s MMA matchup between the legendary Cris Cyborg and PFL two-division champion Larissa Pacheco, one comment caught the attention of Cyborg’s team.

“I think that she’s a very good striker. I think I’m a more complete fighter,” Pacheco told MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn.

That notion set into motion a blueprint for how Cyborg would approach their epic showdown, which turned into Saturday’s co-main event at PFL: Battle of the Giants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Many are eager to see two of the most devastating strikers in the sport go at it, but when Pacheco threw down the gauntlet of Cyborg not being an equally well-rounded fighter, that got Ray Elbe, Cyborg’s fiancée and coach, setting up an undeniably superb camp.

“From a confidence standpoint, you know, if I bring in the No. 1 jiu-jitsu woman in the world,” Elbe said in a recent interview at Cyborg’s private gym in Huntington Beach. “I bring in one of the most accomplished female U.S. wrestlers in the exact same weight class, a three-time Pan-American wrestling champion. I bring in an 18-time world boxing champion, the only one that ever won MMA and boxing belts.

“And you go at it with these girls every single day.”

Cyborg’s résumé speaks for itself. She is the only female fighter to have won four major titles – Strikeforce, Invicta FC, UFC and Bellator – and can add to that collection with the newly created Women’s Featherweight Super Fights World Championship up for grabs.

Along the way, the 39-year-old Cyborg (27-2, 1 NC) has become renowned as one of the most fearsome and powerful punchers in women’s MMA. She has knocked out 22 of her opponents, an 81% clip.

Even so, the current Bellator 145-pound champ knows, while many fans yearn to see her and the 30-year-old Pacheco (23-4) go toe to toe, a calmer approach, which she has displayed in more recent fights, and a more versatile offense are critical.

“I do have to use all the tools I have and not force anything. Have patience,” said Cyborg, who has also won all four of her boxing matches in the past two years. “I think the patience is the key this fight.”

And while the Huntington Beach resident, by way of Curitiba, Brazil, does have two black belts – one in Muay Thai under Master Rafael Cordeiro and the other in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles – the decision was made to diversify her camp into the best it’s ever been.

In came Rafaela Guedes, one month removed from winning gold in the prestigious Abu Dhabi Combat Club championship, regarded as the top submission grappling tournament in the world, in the +65kg category (over 143 pounds).

In came Forrest Molinari, long one of the top American freestyle wrestlers in the world who came within two wins in April – against 20-year-old phenom Amit Elor – from competing at the Paris Olympics.

Both women have recently decided to transition to MMA. What better way to break in than training with “the OG of women’s MMA,” as Molinari says?

“As someone who just came over four months ago, like, that’s just unheard of to get to have that opportunity,” said Molinari, 29, who trains in Arizona. “And Cris is so down to earth and so cool in person. And it’s like, even though this is obviously her training camp and her going for her fifth historic belt, she takes the time to show me stuff as we’re going so that I’m getting some learning out of it.”

Even though Cyborg has plenty of time on the mats, Guedes recognizes how much she has improved in their short time training together, as well as how strong she is.

“She’s the real thing, you know?” said Guedes, a 32-year-old Brazilian who lives in San Diego. “So if you go there, don’t go to play around, because she’s gonna smash you.”

Last but not least is a former UFC champion returning the favor as training partner. Earlier this year, Cyborg traveled to New Mexico to help Holly Holm prepare for her fight with Kayla Harrison.

Now it is the former 18-time boxing champ’s turn to assist her former opponent – Cyborg defeated Holm via unanimous decision at UFC 219 at the end of 2017.

“Pacheco is tough, but honestly, at this point, everybody that you’re gonna fight is gonna be at that high level,” Holm said. “You know, they’re gonna be the best, but I just don’t think that she has as many tools as Cris.”

The foursome kicked around names for their group – The Dream Team? The Squad? – during a recent session, less than three weeks before Cyborg’s fight. Each of the training partners demonstrated a drill or technique, followed by the other three following through, step by step. Scrambles and leg locks. Belly-to-back throws. Slipping punches and throwing combinations.

Sweat was flowing and smiles were frequent.

“It’s nice because you see everybody’s very good at their own sport, and you can change and learn. And now I’m learning a lot with Rafa and Holly, and learning a lot with Forrest,” Cyborg said. “So it is nice to have all the girls too, because we have been using a lot of guys. And now in your system, they’re very expert in their sport, and then we get it together and they help me to learn.”

Cyborg has won her last seven fights – one via submission, two unanimous decisions and four knockouts, including her first-round TKO victory over Cat Zingano a year ago at Bellator 300 in San Diego.

Pacheco, meanwhile, has won 10 in a row with three unanimous decisions and seven knockouts. She even turned the tables on Harrison, who had defeated her twice via unanimous decision, and outpointed her to win the PFL Women’s Lightweight Tournament in November 2022. She followed that last year by winning the PFL Women’s Featherweight Tournament.

“I think she’s a great opponent. She is a very dangerous fighter. You know, she’s finished her fights. You have a power puncher too,” Cyborg said. “But the other way, I think she never fights somebody like me.”

To that, with all her years in wrestling rooms, Molinari has come away impressed with how Cyborg feels on the mat. Not only in terms of strength – “she has the most power from any female fighter I’ve ever felt,” Molinari said – but her positioning and fluidity.

Now that Molinari has experienced an MMA camp and witnessed, up close, how Cyborg has fared in every discipline, she can’t wait for Saturday’s battle.

“I’m very, very excited to watch this fight, because I think she’s going to take Pacheco to deep waters and drown her,” Molinari said.

PFL: Battle of the Giants

When: Saturday

Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

How to watch: prelims (10:30 a.m., ESPN+); main card (1 p.m., PPV via ESPN+; DAZN)