Cyborg confirms 2026 retirement plan to become a vet

Cris Cyborg says she plans to end her glittering career next year to follow “different dreams”, including becoming a veterinarian.

Cyborg, 40, has enjoyed championship victories across multiple promotions during a 20-year career.

The Brazilian, victorious in her past eight bouts, has won 28 of her 31 fights and hasn’t suffered defeat since losing to Amanda Nunes in 2018.

Cyborg fights Australia’s Sara Collins in Lyon on Saturday for the PFL women’s featherweight title in a bout which she says will be the penultimate of her MMA career.

“My last fight, I said to everybody that I’m starting my legacy tour because I have two fights left on my contract and I’m preparing myself to retire and close this chapter,” Cyborg told MMA Fighting.

“For me, next year is going to be the last year for everything.

“In July I turned 40 so next year is going to be 41. I don’t have any bad injuries in my career. I’m very blessed about this. I never did one surgery from one injury so thank you God.”

Cyborg is the owner of a large ranch in Brazil and plans to pursue a degree from a veterinary school when she gives up MMA.

“Next year is going to be 21 years doing the same thing every day and I have different dreams. Among the dreams, I want to be a vet and I still want to do this,” she added.

Cyborg is widely-regarded as one of the greatest women’s mixed martial artists of all time.

Since making her debut in 2005, she has won world titles in the UFC, Strikeforce, Invicta FC and Bellator.

Alongside her multiple championships, Cyborg has recorded 21 of her 28 wins by knockout, illustrating the entertainment she brings to her fights.

After beating Tonya Evinger to win the UFC featherweight title in 2017, Cyborg defended it twice before defeat by Nunes – arguably the biggest rival of her career.

Cyborg later joined Bellator, where she again claimed featherweight gold before defending the belt five times in a dominant reign.

A win over Collins will represent a world title in a fifth promotion, although the belt is a rebranding of her Bellator championship after the PFL acquired the promotion in 2023.

Alongside her MMA career, Cyborg has also boxed professionally, and plans to add to her five wins in the sport before retiring next year.

“I’ve already talked with PFL so we’ve planned for my last fight. We talked a little bit about maybe being in Brazil,” said Cyborg.

“Then I want to use the opportunity next year to do some boxing fights, too. So my last year, I believe I’ve worked with my team, this will be the last year.”