Overview
- Pacheco said UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard responded to her team’s pitch with an email reading, “I am not interested but thank you,” regarding a potential deal at bantamweight.
- To prove she could compete at 135 pounds, Pacheco signed with Karate Combat, made the limit, and scored a tomahawk-elbow knockout in her debut, though critics noted her opponent’s limited MMA experience.
- Pacheco is the only woman to defeat current UFC bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison and is the PFL’s first two-division season winner, following a 10-fight streak before a 2024 loss to Cris Cyborg.
- The Brazilian and her manager voiced frustration over the refusal and she openly questioned whether the UFC is protecting Harrison, framing it as her speculation after not receiving a fuller explanation.
- Harrison holds the UFC title and is expected to defend against Amanda Nunes later this year, a backdrop that has fueled debate over the depth and direction of the women’s 135-pound division.