Exclusive Q&A: 'We are going to make a plan to retire,' announces Cris Cyborg

Cris Cyborg (28-2) will face rising star Sara Collins (6-0) for the PFL featherweight belt. The fight will be the co-main event of PFL Lyon on December 13.

A true icon of the sport, Cyborg spoke with DAZN News. At 40 years old, the PFL fighter discussed her passion for boxing, her future, and her feelings ahead of one of the biggest fights of her career.

DAZN News: How was the training camp?

Cris Cyborg: Great. I'm really excited to be back after one year. I know I was really focused on boxing fights, but really glad and happy to be back to MMA. And a special case, first time fighting in France. I'm really excited.

DN: You plan to come to France two weeks before the fight? Why?

CC: Usually, you always go before. I think it is taking out the time. We always do this. I always go before when they fight in different countries, different places.

DN: What do you think of your opponent? 

CC: Every fight, every girl steps in the cage for training to beat me. Sara Collins is an amazing fighter. She's tough. She's undefeated in the sport. The last four girls she's beat are top 10. I respect my opponent because I really work hard every day in the gym. I'm ready. I'm ready to fight. I'm ready to challenge. I hope she's ready too to be a great fight in France, an exciting fight, and put a lot of work there.

DN: Any prediction?

CC: I'm ready for the five rounds. I'm ready to put on her and do amazing and bring the belt home.

DN: You are 40 years old. How do you feel?

CC: I feel great. I don't have to think. I feel very blessed. I didn't have any bad injury in my whole career. I believe it started with sports at 12 years old, helping me build to be a fighter when I started fighting at 19 years old. I'm very blessed, thankful, happy, grateful for my career, completing 20 years this year. Happy. I think what you love to do is amazing. In 20 years, you learn your body, you learn your process, you learn when you have to train, when you have to rest, focus on recovery. I think it really helped me be where I'm at now.

DN: During your last fight, you met Cristiano Ronaldo. How was it?

CC: It was amazing. It was amazing to meet him. It was nice to see him there, to support the women's MMA, watching the fight. He was really close to the cage and it was a great fight. It was exciting to fight. It was amazing to have the opportunity. He was a big example, great example, athlete for all the younger kids. It was really nice to be there and take a picture with him and meet him in person.

DN: How do you keep the same motivation? After years and years, you still fight for the belt. How do you keep going?

CC: I think what is motivating me every day is my faith. I love challenge. One of the things I know: I have all the titles here around me, but this is not taking my heart from God. God fills my heart. I do love my job, and every single day I think about what I can do great for God. Every single day, motivating me to step in the gym, training hard like every day. Doing great, motivating my fans, overcome, and keep doing great. This is motivating me every single day.

DN: You had some boxing fights this year. What is the best, MMA or boxing?

CC: I started with MMA, so I love MMA. It's what changed my life for sure. I have a dream to do some boxing fights and now open the door for a lot of opportunities, more boxing fights. I love MMA. I can put MMA first, but I love challenge, I love learning. It really helped me improve my game in MMA. For sure, I'm focused on getting better every single fight in boxing, maybe have the opportunity to fight for the title before I retire. Both in my heart.

DN: How many years do you still have it, do you think? 

CC: We made a plan. I have one fight after Sara Collins, I have one fight left in my contract with PFL. And we are going to make a plan to retire. It's going to complete one year in sport. For sure, I want to do some boxing fights next year. And hopefully, I can fight for one boxing title next year, too. But next year, keep it up. Check on me, but I believe next year is my last year. I have another goal in my life, and for sure, this chapter will be closed next year.

DN: What is the plan after? Can you become a coach?

CC: I believe, of course, maybe. For sure, I always want to be a supporter of women's MMA. For sure, there are going to be seminars and help with the young girls to get their goals and to learn. What I learned is share the experience. We're going to continue, for sure, to help the sport grow. For sure, I have a dream in my heart to be a vet, so I went back to study. This is one passion in my heart, taking care of the animals. I love this. This is like when I'm a young kid, and why not? But for sure, I'm going to be into the sport for my whole life. I love to train. I love to be into this. But yeah, as a result, I have a family and different.

DN: Do you think that Dakota Ditcheva can beat Valentina Shevchenko?

CC: I don't think Dakota can beat Valentina.

DN: And in the future?

CC: I think maybe no. But I believe for now, if they fight each other now, today, Valentina gets a victory. She's a complete fighter and more experienced. I believe the experience can win the fight, and especially with the talent and the average skill she has. But in the future, you don't know, because the age around you, but for sure today, for sure, Valentina can beat Dakota.

DN: Are you better than in the past? How do you rank yourself now?

CC: I think past the years, you have to keep improving and learning. I believe like this. But every fight, I feel like I'm continuing number one. I always want to learn. I was always humble to learn, to get better, especially because people watching me are getting better too, and they want to beat me. We have to not stop improving your game. It's actually like when you go to school, you finish your college, you have to keep studying the courses and learning. I think it has to be the same thing in MMA. You have to improve and get your skills. Makes me really happy because I'm looking forward to getting better every single fight, every single year when I keep fighting. I think we cannot be stuck, stopping and not learning. I believe you have to keep it up. This makes me really happy, and I believe I'm a better fighter now than before, for sure.

DN: What does it mean for you to fight in France ?

CC: This is going to be my first opportunity to be to France, fight MMA. I did a boxing fight in England. I'm very excited to London. I am very excited to go to France. I know my team, Shootobox, then I would go travel to Europe before beginning my career. Then I will share a great experience when there in Europe, fighting in Europe. I'm happy and very excited to enjoy. I'm very thankful. After 20 years, I have the opportunity to fight in France in front of the crowd there.