There had been some issues between Strikeforce and Women’s Featherweight champ Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Santos (10-1) over renewing her contract. After sitting a year, and a change in ownership, the new Zuffa owned Strikeforce promotion was able to come to terms with the Brazilian champ, and have her returning in December.
‘Cyborg’ is scheduled to meet Japanese fighter Hiroko Yamanaka on December 17 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California as part of the Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal event.
In a recent interview with Tatame.com, Santos discussed her return to the cage under Zuffa as well as her thoughts on what the future of women’s mma looks like.
It’ll be your first fight since UFC purchased Strikeforce. What do you think will be different?
I guess that, if there’s something, it’s a better thing. UFC is the biggest MMA event of all, so I’m happy about this fight I’ll be doing in December. It’s a great chance for me, I’ll show my work and put on a good show, open the doors to women. The name’s changed, but it doesn’t matter because I already used to take it seriously, I used to pour my heart out to win. Now the boss has changed, but I’ll keep doing what I used to do before.
People talk about Strikeforce closes next year, especially now UFC is taking the good athletes from it. What do you think they’ll do about the female divisions?
I guess female MMA won’t be extinct. I don’t know if we’ll fight in UFC or not. Everybody’s dream is that it keeps opened, but I guess MMA won’t end if UFC doesn’t want us. Girls will keep on fighting it, training and then will come up an event that will want to give us that chance. It’s on the hands of God and the producers to keep on believing in female MMA, my role is to do what I always do: put on a good show, representing women and fight better and better each time. But I believe that women are getting better and putting on good shows.