LAS VEGAS — With Ronda Rousey dispatching of another challenger and taking some time off to film her next movie, the question of who will emerge as the next contender for her UFC bantamweight title lingers.
Both Rousey and UFC president Dana White indicated Cat Zingano could be in line, assuming she could return from a difficult stretch in her personal life. And Alexis Davis threw her hat in the ring after split decision win over Jessica Eye on Saturday night.
Just don’t expect Cris Cyborg to get the shot any time soon.
Cyborg, the Invicta featherweight champion, is no longer managed by Tito Ortiz. On Friday, she announced a plan to cut down to 135 in Invicta, with the hopes of fighting Rousey before the year is out.
But White said that given the previous statements that Cyborg could “die” if she cut to 135, she’s going to have to prove on multiple occasions she can make the weight before she’s given an opportunity.
“I think the genius [Ortiz] put her in a box, because saying that you’ll die if you make 135 pounds is a pretty bold statement,” White said. “She’ll probably have to make 135 pounds a couple times somewhere else and fight and show that she’s healthy, and then we’ll see what happens.”
White also indicated that if Cyborg does eventually end up in the UFC, she’s not going cut ahead of the rest of the line in UFC’s 135-pound women’s division.