PFL president Ray Sefo ‘absolutely’ interested in Cris Cyborg, Kayla Harrison welcomes the challenge

Esther Lin, MMA Fighting

Cris Cyborg is a free agent and the list of suitors ready to sign the former UFC champion continues to grow by the day.

Bellator president Scott Coker has already stated that he’s interested in teaming up with Cyborg again after they previously worked together under the Strikeforce banner. Now Professional Fighters League (PFL) is stepping up to the plate in hopes of adding Cyborg while enticing her with a potential $1 million grand prize if she competes in their season long tournament.

“Absolutely, we’re interested in Cris Cyborg,” PFL president Ray Sefo told MMA Fighting. “Cris Cyborg is a legend. She’s been around the long time and she’s been a champion for many years. A champion in different organizations. Our team is talking to her team and hopefully we can make something happen.

“She’s in a situation where she’s shopping right now. She’s probably talking to Bellator, ONE FC and so on, so we’ll see. For her, I would love to sign her but we’ll just have to wait and see how that all pans out.”

Cyborg has fought at featherweight for most of her career and the PFL doesn’t currently promote a 145-pound division for women.

That said, the PFL added a women’s lightweight division at 155 pounds for their ongoing season, which features former Strikeforce champion Sarah Kaufman as well as two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison.

Sefo believes Cyborg could thrive at 155 pounds in the PFL because she would no longer be forced to suffer through arduous weight cuts to get down to the featherweight limit.

“I’ve seen some of the “Embedded” stuff that she was on and it looks like she’s suffering when cutting weight. So her at 155 [pounds] would be very dangerous,” Sefo said.

“Listen, ultimately that’s her decision and at some point that decision is going to be made. I think everybody is looking forward to where she ends up.”

For her part, Harrison would also welcome Cyborg as an addition to the PFL as she seeks to cement her place in history as one of the greatest fighters of all time.

With two gold medals already on her resume, Harrison has said numerous times that she wants attain the status as the best in mixed martial arts and facing someone like Cyborg would be the perfect challenge.

“Absolutely. Come on down, Cris,” Harrison told MMA Fighting. “It would be great. Listen, whether or not she loses to Amanda [Nunes], she’s still one of the greatest and to be the greatest, you’ve got to beat one of the greatest. So I’m happy to take that fight on, I’m happy to climb that mountain and take on that challenge.

“Right now, I’m going to focus on winning this season and hopefully Cris decides to slide on over to the PFL.”