Amber Leibrock ahead of PFL Playoffs: “It’s my time”
Coming into the 2023 PFL Playoffs, Amber Leibrock is focused on one thing and one thing only: her time and destiny to become PFL world champion. As someone who has faced plenty of real life adversity outside of the PFL cage including drug addiction and losing her father to suicide at a young age, Leibrock fights like a woman who won’t be stopped and now, a woman on a mission.
On August 18, Amber Leibrock will face Marina Mokhnatkina with a chance to advance to the PFL Finals, and while she’s the betting underdog coming into the fight, “Touch ’em Up” is coming for it all. Speaking to MyMMANews.com, Leibrock paid her opponent respect while also letting it be known that she’s on a mission to the title, and it’s her destiny to become champion.
“Marina she’s so skilled, she’s on a good fight win streak of her own. She’s a grappler, Sambo champion, didn’t get finish by Kayla [Harrison] all these things. Amazing athlete. Super honored to step in the cage with her, but this is my time. I gave Larissa Pacheco a little bit too much respect, came out real slow, and I paid for it, and that’s not gonna happen again. I’m blessed to have another opportunity and I’ve been saying this, I believe in fate, I believe in destiny, and there wouldn’t be a reason why I’m still in it, if I’m not supposed to be in it. I’m coming, I’m coming guns blazing.”
Letting it be known that she’s not just looking to get in and escape with a victory, Amber Leibrock wants to send a message to the entire division and any opponent she will face, including Mokhnatkina, she’s looking for finishes during the PFL Playoffs and beyond.
“I’m coming to knock her out, finish her. Whether it’s the first, second, or third round, I’m not playing around anymore. I’m not looking to just perform, I’m looking to finish these girls.”
If she gets the finish she anticipates against Mokhnatkina, Leibrock will stamp her ticket to the Championship and while she has revenge on her mind against Pacheco, she’s not focused on who her future opposition may be.
“This is the beautiful thing about PFL, me and Marina top of my priority list. I’m definitely going in there to win, get my hand raised, and get that W. Whatever happens between Larissa and Olena, perfect, whatever is supposed to happen, will happen. If I have to face Olena, I’ll face Olena, if it’s Larissa again, it’s Larissa again. The beautiful thing about PFL is if I don’t get Larissa in the Finals and they bring me back next season, I’ll get her again at some point next season and that is the beauty of this. We will meet each other, whether it’s this year or next year, we’ll meet each other.”
One focus at a time for Leibrock, but she’s making it clear that she’s on the hunt for the reigning champion Pacheco, and she’s got some payback to give her, when they meet again.
“I’m hunting her down, I want her. Whether there’s a million dollars on the line or not, I owe her a knockout. I owe her exactly what she gave me, 45 seconds of some thumpers and I wanna repay that debt.”
Earlier in the 2023 season, Amber Leibrock made waves with a masterful head kick knockout of Martina Jindrova which helped pave the way for her to be in the PFL Playoffs.
Amber Leibrock with a VICIOUS head kick KO 😳 #PFLRegularSeason pic.twitter.com/ULcvYJ426f
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 8, 2023
It’s one step at a time for Amber Leibrock, but driven by destiny and revenge, she’ll look to stamp her ticket to the PFL Finals and become the world champion she’s always believed she could be.
