Bellator Featherweight Champion and former UFC champion Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino wants to hit a specific milestone before calling it a career.
Cyborg is set to face Arlene Blencowe in her next featherweight title defense at Bellator 279. She’s coming off of an incredible knockout over Sinead Kavanagh at Bellator 271 to make it five wins in a row.
Cyborg has accomplished a lot during her professional MMA career that has featured stints in the UFC, Invicta FC, and now Bellator. However, she still feels at the top of her game despite being 36 years old.
During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Cyborg teased when she may call it quits with her 17-year career in competition.
“I was thinking I might make it 20 [years],” Cyborg said when asked for a timeframe for her retirement from MMA.
Cyborg went on to clarify that while she’s vaguely given thought to her eventual retirement, she still feels she has a lot of work left to do in the cage.
“But you never know. This is my plan, but you never know what is God’s plan for me. I’m very happy, happy training, and (I) still have a lot of fire in my heart, and let’s see what’s gonna happen.”
Cyborg made her professional debut in 2005 in the Sao Paulo Regional, losing to Erica Paes. This would be the catalyst of a 19-fight winning streak that ended at UFC 232 against Amanda Nunes.
Cyborg has competed against some of the top contenders in women’s MMA, including Nunes and Holly Holm. She is undefeated in the Bellator cage and earned the featherweight title against Julia Budd at Bellator 238.
Despite a rocky tenure with the UFC that included a strained relationship with UFC president Dana White, she became the promotion’s inaugural women’s featherweight champion by defeating Tonya Evinger at UFC 214.
What is your prediction for the remainder of Cris Cyborg’s MMA career?
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