UFC Legend to Unretire After Major Farewell Bout

Cris Cyborg beat former ranked UFC bantamweight Ketlen Vieira by unanimous decision, defending her title and moving her record to 30-2 in the process. The win was even more impressive considering Vieira came in more than seven pounds over the featherweight limit.

That meant Cyborg had to defend her title against an opponent who was significantly heavier than she was. But the 41-year-old clearly didn’t see the weight difference as an excuse. If anything, she believes the fight proved she still has what it takes to hang with the best.

“I think my performance against Ketlen Vieira proved I am still able to compete against the very best in the sport,” Cyborg said. “Ketlen was tough and certainly felt extremely strong.

“But even though she missed weight by over seven pounds, I was able to display great footwork and fight IQ to win four out of the five rounds. I landed almost double the strikes she landed over our 25-minute fight.”

PFL had already promoted the August matchup as Cris Cyborg’s retirement fight when the bout was first announced in June. But once the fight was over, the Brazilian wasn’t exactly ready to put a hard stop on her career. In fact, she left the door wide open.

“I don’t know if I’m going to fight again, but I wanted to be a champion one more time and get my 30th victory,” Cyborg said after beating Ketlen Vieira.

Now, though, there’s no more guessing. Cris Cyborg’s PFL contract officially ended with the Vieira fight, leaving the veteran free to look at her options as the PFL and Most Valuable Promotions move ahead with their newly announced merger.

And with the 41-year-old back on the open market, plenty of doors could be worth knocking on. One obvious option is Scott Coker’s new Ki MMA promotion. Coker already has plenty of history with Cyborg from her Strikeforce and Bellator days, and the Brazilian was even in attendance for Ki MMA’s launch in September.

That said, her appearance at the event doesn’t necessarily mean she’s headed there to fight. Then there’s the UFC. A return to the Octagon would certainly get people talking, especially with Cris Cyborg having previously shown interest in running it back with Amanda Nunes. For now, though, one thing is crystal clear: at 30-2, Cris Cyborg isn’t ready to call it quits just yet.

Cris Cyborg is also open to RAF and BKFC challenges

Apparently, MMA isn’t the only thing on Cris Cyborg’s radar. The veteran has also revealed that she’s interested in stepping into wrestling with RAF, opening up a whole new set of potential matchups. One particularly wild possibility? A clash with UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison under wrestling rules.

“I would love to compete for RAF. I think there are a few exciting matchups for me,” Cyborg said.

The 41-year-old also reminded fans that wrestling isn’t exactly unfamiliar territory for her. Long before MMA became her main focus, the Brazilian was already competing in wrestling back home and making a name for herself.

“A lot of people don’t know that I started competing in wrestling in Brazil and did really well, beating Aline Da Silva Ferreira before focusing on MMA,” she continued.

And she couldn’t resist teasing one particularly fun possibility. Could Cris Cyborg and Kayla Harrison finally end up sharing a competitive matchup after all?

“Maybe we will see me vs. Kayla Harrison in RAF one day. Hahaha,” she added.

If she makes the jump, she definitely won’t be the first UFC name to do it. The promotion has turned into a pretty sweet second home for former UFC stars chasing a fresh run, with big names like Colby Covington, Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, and Clay Guida already bringing their star power to the RAF mats.

And if wrestling wasn’t enough, the MMA legend could also have a completely different kind of fight waiting for her. Christine Ferea, the reigning BKFC Queen of Violence and women’s flyweight champion, recently called out Cyborg, and the Brazilian legend doesn’t seem opposed to the idea at all.

“I am open to fighting Christine Ferea,” she admitted. “BKFC has never made me any type of serious offer. I think fans would love to see a fight between Ferea and me.”

For Cyborg, bare-knuckle fighting also hits close to home. She sees a clear connection between the sport and her Brazilian roots, particularly the old-school Vale Tudo style, where fighters famously competed without gloves.

“Bare knuckle is the essence of Vale Tudo, and Chute Boxe is the best Vale Tudo team of all time,” Cyborg said. “My style would translate very well to bare-knuckle boxing. I am a naturally violent fighter, but they would have to pay me like the prizefighter I am.”

So, what’s next for the MMA legend? That part is still up in the air. MMA, RAF wrestling, BKFC, and boxing are all possible options, giving the 41-year-old plenty of ways to stay busy. For now, the only thing missing is a name, a date, and a destination for whatever comes next.