Cris Cyborg Retirement Opponent, PFL Title Fight Date and Location Revealed for MMA Icon
MMA legend and PFL women's featherweight champion Cris Cyborg will throw down one last time this summer.
Per ESPN's Jeff Wagenheim, the PFL announced that Cyborg will defend her title in a retirement fight against former UFC contender Ketlen Vieira in the main event of PFL Tampa on Aug. 22.
One of the most dominant fighters in MMA history, regardless of gender, Cyborg has held championships in the UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce and Invicta FC. She won the PFL title in December, defeating the previously undefeated Sara Collins by rear-naked choke for just the second submission win of her career, which includes 21 knockouts in her 29 victories.
"Looking for career win number 30," Cyborg wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. "No other female in MMA has 30 career victories."
The writing had been on the wall for quite some time that Cyborg's MMA career was winding down. She's fought in an MMA match just once in each of the last five years. Over that same span, she launched her professional boxing career, compiling a 7-0 record.
Cyborg made her MMA debut in 2005. After losing her debut fight, she went on a 21-fight unbeaten streak over the next 13 years. She and Gina Carano made history in 2009 when they faced each other in a Strikeforce main event and became the first women ever to headline a major MMA card. She won the UFC featherweight championship in 2017 and defended it twice before losing to Amanda Nunes the following year. She's won nine straight fights since then.
Cyborg will be remembered as one of the most powerful MMA fighters of all time, and she could continue to achieve success in boxing if she chooses to stick around in combat sports for a bit longer.
