Cris Cyborg reacts to not getting immediate title fight in UFC women’s 145 lbs division

Invicta FC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg has made her first remarks since the UFC’s decision to book Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie for the inaugural UFC women’s 145 lbs title.

The UFC officially announced the creation of a women’s featherweight division, with a championship bout set for UFC 208 in Brooklyn, New York. Instead of Invicta FC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg competing for the belt, it’ll be Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie. Dana White’s explanation for not giving Cyborg an immediate title fight is that Cyborg had turned down multiple offers to fight for the belt, including Holm and de Randamie. For her part, Cyborg says she wanted to make her return in March, and that February was too soon for her.

Cyborg spoke with MMA Fighting immediately following today’s news, and while she’s happy that the UFC created a division where she’s reigned as the world’s #1 for years, she made it clear that she’s the real champion of the division, regardless of the Holm vs. de Randamie outcome.

“Everybody knows I’m the featherweight champion,” Cyborg said. “I’m undefeated for 10 years in my division. They put this belt only to sell the fight for the new MMA fans. For an example, Holly is coming off two consecutive losses and will fight for the belt. The real fight fans know what’s real.”

As for her thoughts on whether or not she’ll definitely be getting the winner of this fight, she pointed to the men’s featherweight division as an example that she may not necessarily be next in line.

“I have no idea, there are no rules in MMA,” Cyborg said. “The last fight in the men’s 145-pound division, a 10-0 fighter fought a guy who was 1-5 in his last fights. Other fighters like me have to wait for a title fight. I’m fighting for my division for 10 years, and until yesterday Dana said there were no women. This is our reality.”

Cyborg (17-1, 1 NC) has fought twice in the UFC, both at 140 lbs catchweights. She stopped Leslie Smith in the 1st round of their UFC 198 encounter in May, then put away Lina Lansberg at UFC Brasilia in September. Her most recent defense of her Invicta FC title was a 1st round KO of Daria Ibragimova back in January.

Invicta FC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg has made her first remarks since the UFC’s decision to book Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie for the inaugural UFC women’s 145 lbs title.

The UFC officially announced the creation of a women’s featherweight division, with a championship bout set for UFC 208 in Brooklyn, New York. Instead of Invicta FC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg competing for the belt, it’ll be Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie. Dana White’s explanation for not giving Cyborg an immediate title fight is that Cyborg had turned down multiple offers to fight for the belt, including Holm and de Randamie. For her part, Cyborg says she wanted to make her return in March, and that February was too soon for her.

Cyborg spoke with MMA Fighting immediately following today’s news, and while she’s happy that the UFC created a division where she’s reigned as the world’s #1 for years, she made it clear that she’s the real champion of the division, regardless of the Holm vs. de Randamie outcome.

“Everybody knows I’m the featherweight champion,” Cyborg said. “I’m undefeated for 10 years in my division. They put this belt only to sell the fight for the new MMA fans. For an example, Holly is coming off two consecutive losses and will fight for the belt. The real fight fans know what’s real.”

As for her thoughts on whether or not she’ll definitely be getting the winner of this fight, she pointed to the men’s featherweight division as an example that she may not necessarily be next in line.

“I have no idea, there are no rules in MMA,” Cyborg said. “The last fight in the men’s 145-pound division, a 10-0 fighter fought a guy who was 1-5 in his last fights. Other fighters like me have to wait for a title fight. I’m fighting for my division for 10 years, and until yesterday Dana said there were no women. This is our reality.”

Cyborg (17-1, 1 NC) has fought twice in the UFC, both at 140 lbs catchweights. She stopped Leslie Smith in the 1st round of their UFC 198 encounter in May, then put away Lina Lansberg at UFC Brasilia in September. Her most recent defense of her Invicta FC title was a 1st round KO of Daria Ibragimova back in January.