It’s the fight every MMA fan wants to see, and Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino says the UFC want to make it happen
The former Strikeforce champion has been touted as the only woman capable of testing dominant UFC strap-holder Ronda Rousey and Tito Ortiz sparked off a frenzy of speculation when he claimed that Cyborg had already been approached to take on Rousey later this year.
UFC supremo Dana White was quick to shoot down those rumours, telling Yahoo!:
That was a complete lie It’s 100 per cent a lie. First of all, the UFC doesn’t even talk to Tito Ortiz, so let’s start there. But we haven’t offered any fight to [Justino]. Tito Ortiz is just making this [expletive] up.
In no way, shape or form did we offer her a fight against Ronda at Cowboys Stadium. Completely untrue.
The problem is, this kind of thing gets out there and picks up momentum when there is no truth to it. And it was just something that he decided to make up. But it’s not true.
Nevertheless, White is known to want Rousey’s next title defence to co-main event a super card at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas in December headed by a Conor McGregor-Jose Aldo bout, and there is no doubt that a fight against Cyborg would move the needle far more than a clash with current number one contender Miesha Tate, who she has already beaten twice.
Despite White’s denials, Cyborg, who has racked up a series of stoppages almost as impressive as Rousey’s while building a 13-1 MMA record, took to Twitter to back up her former manager’s initial remarks.
I’m not lying nor is Tito- UFC called my manager last Sunday to see if I would fight Ronda at 135 on December 5 at… http://t.co/pF2VJdRuEU
— Cris Cyborg (@criscyborg) August 8, 2015
One issue likely to give the UFC pause in committing to the bout will be weight, with Cyborg doing all her damage in the 145lb featherweight division and bantamweight champ Rousey fighting at 135lb, while there are also concerns about a past failed doping test, but Cyborg insisted she is ready to make the fight happen.
@criscyborg I'm ready – make the fight the fans want not the fight you and Honda want
— CrisCyborg.Com (@criscyborg) August 8, 2015
