Cris Cyborg, one of the most decorated fighters in mixed martial arts history, says her 2009 win over Gina Carano to claim the Strikeforce featherweight title remains the proudest moment of her 21-year career, not for the title itself but for the doors it opened for women in the sport. That bout was the first women's title fight to headline a major MMA event and the first broadcast live on American primetime television, marking a turning point for female competitors in the sport.

The Brazilian, now 41, has since won 21 of 22 fights and claimed further world titles in the UFC, Bellator and PFL. On Saturday in Tampa, Florida, she defends her PFL featherweight title against fellow Brazilian Ketlen Vieira in what could be the final fight of her career, the culmination of what she has called her "legacy tour." Cyborg holds the record for most world-title fights contested by a woman in MMA history and the most knockouts (21), ahead of Amanda Nunes on 13, and credits her longevity to staying humble throughout her reign.