At one time Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino was so determined to drop to 135 pounds and “retire” Ronda Rousey that she planned not one, but three fights at that weight class.
“First to win the Invicta belt, the second time to kick your ass and the third time to kick your ass again so that the world can see it wasn’t luck.”
Despite the bluster, Cyborg never did get down to 135 pounds. In fact, she never made 140 either, as she had boasted she would do.
Cyborg was supposed to face Cindy Dandois at a 140-pound catchweight at Invicta FC 15 tonight (Jan. 16) at the Hangar at OC Fair in Costa Mesa, Calif. But then another woman came along and put an end to the whole Rousey vs. Cyborg feud.
And that, it would appear, is that. Cyborg is staying at 145 pounds.
The featherweight told MMAfighting.com that any future trashtalkers will have to come up to her weight class or meet her halfway.
“No more 135,” Cyborg said. “Superfight? Yeah. I think that’s fair. Somebody can go up a little bit, I’ll go down a little bit.”
Part of that decision comes from a USADA ban on rehydrating via intravenous needle (IV) which has sent other fighters back up a weight class as well. But it’s difficult to imagine this change of heart without the Rousey loss.
The Invicta fighter had long been considered the best female fighter on the planet until an upstart Judoka walked into Strikeforce and started armbarring everybody in the first round. A “Superfight” between the two women has been brewing ever since Rousey dispatched Strikeforce champion Miesha Tate in just under a round in 2012.
However, unless Rousey wreaks her revenge on Holly Holm, the only Superfight that might happen would involve the current UFC bantamweight champion at a catchweight.
“I’d make a superfight at 140,” Cyborg said. “I’m the world champ at 145. Why do I have to go down a division? Of course I want to make the fights nice for the fans, but I don’t want to do something to make my life terrible.”
Cyborg takes on Daria Ibragimova tonight at Invicta FC 15 to defend her featherweight belt and 10-year undefeated streak in mixed martial arts. Subscribers of FightPass.com can watch the event beginning at 9 ET.