Holly Holm backing former opponent Cris Cyborg to beat Larissa Pacheco in PFL debut: “Go in there and get that championship”

Holly Holm is backing Cris Cyborg to defeat Larissa Pacheco this weekend in her PFL debut.

The two Brazilians are currently set to meet in the co-main event of Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira on Saturday. Larissa Pacheco enters the fight red-hot, riding a ten-fight winning streak over the likes of Julia Budd and Kayla Harrison. Meanwhile, Cris Cyborg hasn’t competed since a knockout win over Cat Zingano at Bellator 300 last October.

The reigning PFL tournament winner is seemingly Cris Cyborg’s biggest test since leaving the UFC. It appears that the Bellator women’s featherweight champion is aware of that fact. To prepare for her return to the cage, Cyborg has been training with her former opponent, Holly Holm.

‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ is currently working toward her own UFC return. However, Holly Holm put her plans on hold, to help Cris Cyborg prepare for her PFL debut. The two famously clashed at UFC 219 in December 2017, where the Brazilian emerged with a unanimous decision victory.

RELATED: FRANCIS NGANNOU OPENS UP ON RETIREMENT PLANS AHEAD OF PFL DEBUT: “I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE AT THE TOP OF MY GAME”

. @criscyborg 🤝 Holly Holm

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Holly Holm previews Cris Cyborg’s PFL debut against Larissa Pacheco

Seven years later, Holly Holm is now backing her former opponent against Larissa Pacheco. Speaking in a recent interview with PFL, the former UFC champion was asked about Cris Cyborg’s return. There, Holm stated that she’s confident in the 39-year-old securing the PFL women’s Superfight title.

“I’m just here to support Cris for this fight.” Holly Holm stated in the interview discussing Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco. “I know she’s going to go in there and get that championship belt. I’ve always had a lot of respect for her. But being able to share our knowledge and come together [is different]. She’s been down to Albuquerque to help me train, so I wanted to come out here.”

She continued, “Obviously, in a fight I’m the one who wants to come out on top. But it was a really competitive fight [between us], and I think we’ve both, being in there, have grown a lot of respect for each other. Anybody that I fight, I want them to go be successful as well.”

What do you make of these comments from Holly Holm? Do you think Cris Cyborg will defeat Larissa Pacheco in her PFL debut this Saturday?