Photo by Hans Gutknecht/Digital First Media/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images
“If Dana is interested in making the biggest fights for the fans that the most people want to see for the most money I don’t see any reason why we can’t have a cross promotion fight”.
Former UFC women’s featherweight champion turned Bellator featherweight queen Cris Cyborg has called for Dana White to make a cross promotion fight with Amanda Nunes, who previously KO’d Cyborg at UFC 232 to win the 145-pound title.
Cyborg went on to TKO Julia Budd to capture the Bellator featherweight title in her promotional debut and is still considered one of the best female fighters on the planet.
Speaking to LowKickMMA in a recent interview Cyborg — real name Cristiane Justino — claims Bellator CEO Scott Coker is interested in a UFC-Bellator cross promotion event and urged White to give the fans what they want to see.
“Scott Coker has already sent Bellator fighters to face Rizin athletes in Japan. We are open to the match-up,” Justino said. “I just beat Julia Budd who was undefeated 8 years at 145lbs. Bellator has a world champion boxer in Arlene Blencowe, and the last girl to beat Nunes in Cat Zingano at 145lbs. Leah McCourt, Leslie Smith, Olga Ruben, are all fights we can make and are many girls in Bellator currently ranked in the world rankings.”
“Nunes is getting ready to defend her belt against a girl who I beat on pretty decisively over 3 rounds, after that fight she has a rematch with Valentina Shevchenko and no other real options for quality opponents. Who will she fight after that? If Dana is interested in making the biggest fights for the fans that the most people want to see for the most money I don’t see any reason why we can’t have a cross promotion fight, fans get those in boxing all the time.”
White has never been open to cross promotional events in the past and isn’t exactly on the best of terms with Cyborg, so don’t expect to see the UFC president to announce the matchup anytime soon.
Nunes is reported to defend her featherweight title against former Invicta FC featherweight champ Felicia Spencer on May 9 at the UFC APEX facility in Las Vegas. The proposed event will also feature an interim lightweight title bout between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje as well as a bantamweight title bout between reigning champ Henry Cejudo and former bantamweight king Dominick Cruz.