One of the best women's fighters on the planet scored a buzzer-beating knockout with nasty ground-and-pound

• Cris Cyborg finished another opponent Friday at the Bellator 259 event in Uncasville.
• Cyborg is one of the best women's fighters on the planet, and now has 24 wins (19 knockouts).
• Watch her latest knockout win right here.

One of the best women's fighters on the planet scored a buzzer-beating knockout Friday at a Bellator MMA event, when she finished her opponent with strikes with only seconds remaining on the clock.

Bellator queen Cris Cyborg put her championship on the line for the behind-closed-doors rematch against Leslie Smith at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Cyborg had a comfortable lead in the bout even before the finish, but that did not stop her from pounding her opponent with strikes until the referee said it was all over.

A hard right hand over the top, which landed with such venom that Smith couldn't help but fall heavily to the floor, sparked a closing sequence that saw Cyborg take advantage.

Cyborg, 35, threw everything at Smith when she was grounded, refusing to let a knockout finish escape her grasp.

She struck Smith over and over, smacking hammer fists into her face, until Smith rolled over and, with her back turned, got stopped with nine seconds left in the entire fight.

"I knew she was tough and I've fought her before," said Cyborg of an opponent she'd beaten in 2016.

"I know her and respect her and she's a real fighter. I knew with her it would be a great match because she's capable and she's tough."

"I was really working in sparring to keep going and going because I knew it was going to be this way. I noticed I enjoyed it a little more."

Cyborg continued: "I've been working on grappling my whole life but I just feel like I'm getting better and better every day. I got a black belt, but it's like a white belt because I'm always learning."

See highlights of Cyborg's dominant performance right here:

Cyborg advanced her pro MMA record to 24 wins (19 knockouts, one submission, and four decisions) against two losses, and is already targeting her next opponent.

"I've been doing this 16 years, I've got four titles. But before you can be [the greatest] you have to fight the 'Cat,'" said Cyborg. "So, I'd like to fight with Cat Zingano."