Ronda Rousey wants to fight everybody, including Invicta featherweight champ Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino, according to UFC President Dana White.
The UFC women’s bantamweight champ seems to be the only shark in a shallow pool. After dusting off top contender Alexis Davis in just 16 seconds a little over a month ago, Rousey has once again put the UFC in the increasingly difficult spot of finding another suitable challenger.
It’s obviously a good spot to be in considering Rousey‘s emergence as a bona fide superstar in combat sports, not just in women’s MMA. According to Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports, White even went on record and anointed Rousey as the biggest star in UFC history during a media conference back in February.
Despite the UFC champ’s success, there is a lingering belief among many hardcore fans that the best female fighter in the world isn’t on the UFC roster.
Long before Rousey was even a household name in MMA, Cyborg was devouring top competition and terrifying any would-be challengers to her dominant reign. The Brazilian star hasn’t lost a professional MMA bout since her debut, which was nearly a decade ago.
Fans have been clamoring for years for a superfight between Cyborg and Rousey, but unfortunately, the difference in weight has always been a hurdle neither side was willing to jump.
Cyborg, who already cuts a lot of weight to make 145 pounds, wasn’t keen on the idea of shedding an extra 10 pounds to make bantamweight. Rousey, on the other hand, never agreed to move up to featherweight or meet at a catchweight.
Fortunately for fans, the infamous standstill between the top two female fighters might soon come to an end.
According to Invicta President Shannon Knapp, per MMAJunkie.com, Cyborg is scheduled to make her bantamweight debut against a TBA opponent in December at Invicta FC 10.
The UFC will see how Cyborg does with the weight cut and mull over a potential contract that could finally bring the former Strikeforce women’s featherweight champ to the Octagon.
“It’s a complicated question,” said White, who sat alongside Rousey during a Q&A in Macao. “I know Ronda wants that fight. Cyborg is ‘going to fight at 135 pounds,’ apparently. She’s never fought at 135 pounds. She’s gonna make the weight. Do it in Invicta. We’ll see what happens, and we’ll go from there. [Rousey] does want this fight. I know people talk a lot of s–t like she doesn’t but she does. So we’ll see what happens.”
Rousey added, “I’d love that [fight], too, but I don’t make fights. I just show up and win them.”
Along with the possibility of fighting Cyborg, Rousey also has top contender Cat Zingano and newly signed women’s boxing legend Holly Holm waiting in the wings. There is also still a slight chance that the UFC lands Gina Carano, per a report by ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto.
Regardless of how the future unfolds in the UFC women’s bantamweight division, White truly believes Rousey is ready for any challenge.
“That’s what’s so unique about Ronda. Ronda gets excited about new women that get signed,” White said. “It’s not like there’s any jealousy or hatred or, ‘Oh, I’m not going to fight…’ She wants to fight everybody, and she gets as excited as we do when we sign new talent.”
Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA writer for Rocktagon.
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