PFL: Cris Cyborg Names Interesting Potential Opponent for Her Return

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Prince Horton | Last updated Mar 6, 2025 2:48 PM ET

One of the most dominant women in combat sports history has left her mark in Strikeforce, Invicta, UFC, Bellator, and even professional boxing. At this point, she’s practically a combat nomad, traveling across promotions like a prizefighting mercenary, collecting belts like they’re rare Pokémon. If there’s a fight to be had, she’s probably already won it. Now, her Professional Fighters League (PFL) journey has begun, and fans are eager to see what’s next.

Cris Cyborg's most recent MMA fight took place at PFL's "Battle of the Giants" event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she faced Larissa Pacheco. Cyborg secured a unanimous decision victory, capturing the PFL Women's Featherweight Superfight Championship, further cementing her legacy as a multi-division champion. But the question on everyone’s mind is—who’s next?

In a recent interview with Kyle Dimond of Bloody Elbow, Cyborg hinted at a potential opponent for her return later this fall:

“PFL have other girls I can fight. They have Leah McCourt who can fight with me, we were already supposed to fight in Bellator to defend the title. They have other girls there.”

Leah McCourt. McCourt has won two of her last five fights and is recently coming off a loss to Sara Collins at Bellator’s London event. There have been talks of a fight between McCourt and Cyborg in the past, with their matchup originally being scheduled in Bellator before falling through. Now, with PFL looking for new challengers, it seems like the perfect time to revisit the bout.

One thing’s for sure—Cyborg’s experience is unmatched. And while Father Time remains undefeated, she’s showing no signs of slowing down just yet. As McCourt eyes her shot at glory, this fight could be a defining moment for both women—one looking to cement a legacy, the other looking to disrupt it.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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