Larissa Pacheco finds herself in the driver’s seat as the Professional Fighters League moves along with the second phase of its 2022 season.
The 27-year-old Brazilian sits atop the women’s lightweight standings ahead of her clash with Genah Fabian on the PFL 6 undercard this Friday at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta. Pacheco has rattled off three consecutive victories, all of them finishes, since she dropped a five-round unanimous decision to unbeaten two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison on New Year’s Eve in 2019. She last competed on May 6, when she buried Zamzagul Fayzallanova with punches a mere 85 seconds into their PFL 3 pairing.
As Pacheco focuses her attention on the forthcoming clash with Fabian at 155 pounds, here are five things you might not know about her:
1. She hit her stride right out of the gate.
Pacheco made her professional debut at the age of 17 when she needed just 90 seconds to submit Raquel Pitbull with an armbar at a Marituba Fight event on March 15, 2012. She went on to post a 10-0 record as a teenager, earning her stripes as one of the top prospects in her native Brazil.
2. Regional achievements did not elude her.
The Belem, Brazil, native has captured titles in the Jungle Fight and Watch Out Combat Show organizations. Pacheco laid claim to the vacant Jungle Fight women’s bantamweight crown with a third-round technical knockout of Irene Aldana at Jungle Fight 63 in December 2013 and struck gold with the Watch Out Combat Show women’s featherweight crown when she submitted Karol Rosa with a second-round guillotine choke at WOCS 49 in March 2018.
3. Matchmakers did her no favors at the highest level.
Pacheco signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship as a short-notice replacement for Valerie Letourneau at UFC Fight Night 51, where she tapped to a first-round guillotine choke from Jessica Andrade on Sept. 13, 2014. She faced Germaine de Randamie at UFC 185 six months later and succumbed to second-round punches from the Dutch muay Thai stylist. Pacheco suffered a broken arm in the loss to de Randamie, underwent two surgeries and did not compete again for more than three years. The setback and its lingering aftereffects resulted in her being released.
4. Her reality check did not go well.
The UFC veteran was cast on Season 28 of “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2018. Pacheco was eliminated by eventual tournament winner Macy Chiasson in the quarterfinals and signed with the Professional Fighters League soon after.
5. Quick-strike offense has been a calling card.
Pacheco has 10 first-round finishes to her credited, two of the sub-minute variety. She put away Dinha Wollstaein with punches in 36 seconds at Jungle Fight 59 on Oct. 12, 2013 and punched out Julija Pajic in 51 seconds at PFL 3 on May 6, 2021.
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