Cris Cyborg, one of the most dominant forces in women’s MMA history, says the end of her legendary fight career is near — and it’s all part of the plan.
With a résumé that reads like a championship tour through every major promotion — Strikeforce, UFC, Bellator, and now PFL — Cyborg (28-2) has done just about everything there is to do in the sport. After claiming the inaugural PFL Super Fights women’s featherweight title with a hard-fought win over Larissa Pacheco last October, she’s now laser-focused on finishing out her PFL contract — and then calling it a career.
In a recent interview with James Lynch, the 40-year-old powerhouse didn’t mince words: retirement isn’t some sudden revelation. It’s been on the docket for a while.
“When I signed this current contract, we had already made the plan to finish the contract and retire,” Cyborg said. “We started the legacy tour when I fought against Larissa Pacheco.”
Cyborg still has two fights left under her current PFL deal, and she’s not interested in dragging things out just for the sake of it.
“Some fighters will never know when to end. I just turned 40 years old, I feel great, but we have to know when it’s time to stop.”
Even as she nears retirement, Cyborg isn’t sitting still. Just this past May, she stepped into the boxing ring and delivered a first-round TKO against Precious Harris-McCray at Fight Night 3: San Jose. But her focus is clearly back on MMA — and on going out strong.
As for who’s next? Cyborg says all signs point to undefeated Australian prospect Sara Collins, who recently made headlines by defeating Leah McCourt and establishing herself as a top contender in the featherweight ranks.
“I believe she’s going to be next,” Cyborg said. “And I like to think about the next one.”
Cyborg didn’t drop hints about her potential final opponent, but whoever gets that honor will be stepping into the cage with one of the sport’s most decorated and feared pioneers.
The clock is ticking. The legacy tour continues. And if you know Cyborg, she’s not going out quietly.
