The wait is over.
Strikeforce women’s middleweight (145-pound) champion Cristiane Santos, better known as “Cyborg,” will be returning to her Hexagon.
After some contentious contract disputes, the organization was eventually able to lock the Brazilian back into the Strikeforce fold, where she will be making the third defense of her title come this December.
Challenging Cyborg will be Hiroko Yamanaka, who is well regarded as the No. 2 fighter in her class, just behind her counterpart. The organization announced the pairing during Friday’s Strikeforce Challengers 19 show.
Santos was last seen in action in June of last year, where she brutalized an overmatched Jan Finney, recording the knockout win in just under three minutes in the second round.
The 26-year-old has kept herself in fighting shape, continuing to develop her talents with the Chute Boxe Academy, while earning gold in the 2011 IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, as a purple belt.
Yamanaka will meet Santos on the heels of an eight-fight win streak. Undefeated since 2008, the “Incomplete Queen” avenged her lone career defeat when she took home a close decision win over Strikeforce veteran Hitomi Akano in March of last year.
The December 17 show will take place at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif., and will feature a lightweight clash pitting top contender Jorge Masvidal against champion Gilbert Melendez. Santos and Hiroko are expected to take co-headlining honors for the event.
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