It’s not often throughout a calendar year where you get a championship fight pitting two titans of MMA against one another. This one is a fight that’s considered a must-see contest. Saturday night, the PFL and Bellator MMA head to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Kingdom Arena for the second Super Fights pay-per-view of 2024.
Dubbed “Battle of the Giants,” this marquee card features three title fights at the top of the bout order. Action begins at 12:30 pm ET/ 9:30 am PT with the prelims on ESPN+ and DAZN ahead of the main card at 4 pm ET/ 1 pm PT on pay-per-view.
On linear television, ESPNNEWS will carry the undercard. If there aren’t any 11th-hour postponements ahead of Battle of the Giants, Saturday’s card features nine bouts on the docket.
Women’s Featherweight Championship At Stake Saturday in Battle of the Giants Co-Main Event
Championship fight number two in the tripleheader sees the action shift to 145 lbs. for a fight between two competitors who have a history of scoring victories when the stakes are at their highest. Incumbent Bellator MMA Women’s Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg (27-2, 1 NC MMA, 6-0 Bellator) battles 2022 PFL Women’s Lightweight Champion and 2023 PFL Women’s Featherweight Champion Larissa Pacheco (23-4 MMA, 12-2 PFL.)
At stake: The PFL Super Fights Women’s Featherweight Championship. This title fight is an advertised maximum of five rounds at five minutes per round.
▶️Episode 2 of Battle Of The Giants | PFL Fight Week is out now!
📹 Get behind the scenes access as Francis Ngannou, Cris Cyborg, Renan Ferreira and Larissa Pacheco go through Fight Week
Watch now 👇
🔗https://t.co/sYNO2bXNgX #PFLSuperFights | #BraceForImpact pic.twitter.com/kPD0qXPuqI— PFL (@PFLMMA) October 16, 2024
Battle of the Giants Co-Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds
Heading into the Battle of the Giants co-main event on Saturday night, both of these combatants stand level at 5-foot-8. In addition, they own identical 69-inch reaches.
Currently, the oddsmakers have Larissa Pacheco installed as a -148 betting favorite on the money line, while Cris Cyborg counters as a +124 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend in MMA and/or combat sports, please wager responsibly.
Cyborg Stays Busy During MMA Hiatus
Cris Cyborg enters the Battle of the Giants co-main event having posted a perfect 5-0 in her last five fights. Most recently in the cage, she defended her championship for the fifth time with a first-round knockout (punches) against Cat Zingano (14-5 MMA, 4-1 Bellator) last October during Bellator 300 from San Diego
In the interim, the PFL bought Bellator MMA just days after Bellator 301 aired on Showtime from Chicago. Subsequently, Cyborg wasn’t offered a fight contract for the front end of this calendar year, with the champion turning her attention to the squared circle of boxing.
With no opportunities to return to @PFLMMA or @BellatorMMA during the first half of 2024 I will be announcing my return to the sport of Boxing with a fight announcement next week.
🖊️ 📑 pic.twitter.com/oOtnsOiHgY
— CrisCyborg.Com (@criscyborg) February 8, 2024
She’s continued to impress when inside the ring this year, winning both of her pugilism bouts, including a second-round knockout (overhand right) in a showcase contest versus Aria Wild just before the summer solstice back in June.
When you’re a fighter and have a championship caliber like Cris Cyborg has had over the course of a career, not being able to secure fight contracts is MMA is the hardest pill to swallow. She’s been keeping sharp in boxing, so can her winning streak continue?
Pacheco Returns for First Time in 11 Months
In the other corner, Larissa Pacheco has posted a mark of 5-0 in her last five fights. At present, she’s won 10 fights in succession.
Last November, she scored a unanimous decision after five rounds over Marina Mokhnatkina (11-4 MMA) during PFL 10 in Washington, DC to win the women’s featherweight title. She hasn’t fought since, something that was brought up in a recent interview with Sean Sheehan.
“The anticipation is not ideal,” Pacheco said, through her translator. “I’ve been building up and waiting for this fight for a while. When I last fought in November last year, I was told ‘Good chance this fight happens in February’. It didn’t happen. We’ve been kind of going back and forth, changing on dates. I miss it, I’m hungry and it’s one of those things where you just kind of lose the bullseye and the target for a bit.”
How much ring rust does Larissa Pacheco have going into the Battle of the Giants co-main event? Tune in and find out.
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
Stylistically, the Battle of the Giants co-main event looks to favor Cris Cyborg. While both contestants are versed in Muay-Thai, Cyborg owns a black belt in that discipline in addition to Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Cyborg Can Get it Done With One Blow
Cris Cyborg is known for her one-punch power, which was on full display in her fight versus Aria Wild. During the second round of a scheduled four, she pieced Wild up with a variety of shots, including a combination capped off by a right-handed punch to knock her opponent down to the canvas.
The referee administered the 10-count for Wild, but it proved inconsequential. She was only able to crawl back to her corner before the fight was waved off.
Look for Cris Cyborg to land punches in bunches during the Battle of the Giants co-main event. If she can come out like a house on fire on Saturday, this contest is hers.
Pacheco Can Work Quickly, Too
In the other corner, Larissa Pacheco sings “Anything you can do, I can do better.” She’s got the proclivity to score the knockout in her own right.
Just look at the tape of her playoff fight from last year against Olena Kolesnyk. Right after the command to fight was issued, Pacheco scored with repeated right hands, finishing Kolesnyk in only 14 seconds out of a possible 15 minutes.
Pacheco’s key in the Battle of the Giants co-main event: Beat Cris Cyborg to the punch.
Final Thoughts
Much like the Bellator Middleweight Championship that will precede it, the Battle of the Giants co-main event looks like it’ll be a great scrap. Don’t miss it.
Prediction: Cris Cyborg by Second-Round Knockout.
