Cris Cyborg Reverses Retirement Calling WMMA State Unacceptable

Cris Cyborg is not done fighting. The most dominant women's featherweight in MMA history has reversed her retirement, citing the state of women's divisions as the reason she cannot walk away.

"I'm not ready to retire. Not yet," Cyborg said in a statement, per Yardbarker. "If I walked away today, there would be no major MMA promotion with a women's 145-pound division. That's unacceptable."

Cyborg, 41, was last seen at PFL Tampa, which was billed as her farewell fight. She defeated Ketlen Vieira by unanimous decision, improving her career record to 30-2-1. The performance looked nothing like a retirement bout.

The Brazilian-American legend has long championed the women's featherweight division, holding titles in the UFC, Bellator, Invicta FC, and Strikeforce across her career. But the division has slowly disappeared. The UFC shuttered its women's 145-pound class years ago, and no major promotion currently maintains one as a permanent weight class.

Cyborg compared the situation unfavorably to boxing, where female fighters have access to a wider range of weight classes and career options. Her return is driven by more than personal ambition. She framed it as an obligation to the fighters who would have nowhere to compete if she stops pushing for the division's existence.

No opponent, date, or promotion has been announced for her return. At 41, Cyborg remains one of the most accomplished fighters in combat sports history, and apparently she is not finished adding to that resume.