Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) really wants to bolster its line up for the upcoming UFC 198 pay-per-view (PPV) mixed martial arts (MMA) event (proof), which takes place inside Arena da Baixada in Curitiba, Brazil, on Sat., May 14, 2016.
Not surprising, considering it has 42,000 seats to fill.
That’s why Invicta FC featherweight champion Cristiane Justino will be asked to make a 140-pound catchweight for her Octagon debut, which comes against bantamweight veteran Leslie Smith. That means whatever “epic” fight Cat Zingano was teasing has yet to reveal itself.
Justino (15-1, 1 NC) has been flirting with a UFC contract over the last several years, thanks to her ongoing feud with former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. Unfortunately, a “Rowdy” super fight never came to fruition as the promotion does not have a featherweight division.
And neither fighter would budge when it came to a change in weight.
That left “Cyborg” to rule the 145-pound roost for Shannon Knapp and Co., something she’s done without fail since early 2013, racking up five knockout/technical knockout finishes in the process.
Overcoming her power and ferocity will be a fairly tall order for Smith, which may work out in her favor since she’s, well … fairly tall. “The Peacemaker” (8-6-1) is fresh off a unanimous decision win over Rin Nakai at UFC “Brisbane” earlier this month “Down Under.”
Expect Smith to be a sizable underdog as she heads into hostile territory.
UFC 198 will be headlined by the heavyweight title fight pitting reigning champion Fabricio Werdum opposite top division contender Stipe Miocic. In the UFC 198 co-main event, Ronaldo Souza tries to work his way back to a middleweight title shot at the expense of Vitor Belfort.
For the latest and greatest UFC 198 fight card and rumors click here.