There’s a moment in sports when you realize you’re watching something that’ll never happen again, and you’d better pay attention because you’ll be telling your grandkids about it. One of those moments is coming for us on August 22nd, and we have absolutely no excuse to miss it.
Cris Cyborg, one of the most decorated women in the history of mixed martial arts, is stepping into the cage one final time. She’ll defend her PFL Women’s Featherweight Championship against former UFC contender Ketlen Vieira at Benchmark International Arena, and yes, she’s officially calling it her retirement fight. This is it. The curtain call. The last dance. The event takes place Saturday, August 22, beginning at 6 pm. Tickets are available here.
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Let’s just take a second to appreciate what we’re actually talking about here. Cyborg is 29-2, boasts a staggering 79% finish rate, has held championships in the UFC, Strikeforce, Invicta FC, and Bellator, and has been unbeaten for more than eight years. She’s 41 years old and is somehow still the most dangerous person in her weight class, which is both deeply inspiring and mildly terrifying. If you’re looking for a metaphor, imagine the Mona Lisa deciding to retire, except the Mona Lisa also had a right cross that would make you tap out at life.
Photos via Cris Cyborg
Her resume includes a 2009 beatdown of Gina Carano, a moment so significant it essentially put women’s MMA on the map. She built the road that fighters like Ronda Rousey, Amanda Nunes, and Zhang Weili walked on. To credit those names without crediting Cyborg would be like thanking the playlist and forgetting the DJ.
And now she’s facing Vieira (16-5), a seasoned UFC veteran who has beaten UFC legends Miesha Tate and Holly Holm, and has exactly one goal: spoil the party and steal the crown. Don’t count on it being easy. Vieira isn’t showing up to gift-wrap a goodbye. She’s coming to fight, and she’s more than capable of doing exactly that.
For Cyborg, a win on August 22nd would make her the first woman in MMA history to record 30 professional victories, which is the kind of milestone that gets engraved on the sport forever. You can get your tickets here. Don’t miss it.
