Vieira's coach calls Cyborg 'one of the greatest' ahead of PFL clash

Ketlen Vieira's head coach believes his fighter is preparing for one of the toughest tests of her career when she meets Cris Cyborg on Aug. 22 in the Professional Fighters League.

Andre Pederneiras told Sherdog that Cyborg — who fights her retirement bout that night — remains an elite test despite her age. "It will be a very tough fight for both; Cris' history speaks for itself — she is undoubtedly one of the greatest of all time," he said.

How Vieira is preparing for Cyborg's pressure

Pederneiras said Vieira has been training with skilled partners who can replicate the former UFC champion's style. "I've had Ketlen training with some highly skilled talents from the gym — fighters who know how to train with a woman and mimic Cris' style," he said.

Vieira joined the PFL after the UFC declined to renew her contract following a win over Jaqueline Cavalcanti. According to Sherdog, Pederneiras brokered the move through longtime manager Ali Abdelaziz, who represents several PFL champions and connected the promotion with Vieira's camp when they needed an opponent for Cyborg's final fight.

The Aug. 22 card marks Cyborg's farewell to competition after a two-decade run that included titles in Strikeforce, Invicta, the UFC, and Bellator.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Ketlen Vieira’s coach calls Cris Cyborg one of MMA’s greatest before PFL fight