Many believed that a Cris Cyborg fight inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Octagon would be a sight they’d never live to see.
Especially since UFC president Dana White never seemed too fond of the fearsome striker, taking verbal stabs at her any chance he’d get. Like calling her “Wanderlei Silva in a dress,” and laughing at inappropriate “dick” jokes at her expense.
Then out of the blue, Cyborg earned a spot at the upcoming UFC 198 event in her hometown of Curitiba, Brazil, on May 14, 2016. That said, fences haven’t exactly been mended between White and Cyborg, as she revealed on The MMA Hour that it’s simply business.
Nothing more, nothing less.
“Me and Dana White just have business. I’ll go inside the Octagon and do my job, and he’ll pay my check. I don’t think about after this.”
Of course, White has to put aside any issues he may have with Cyborg in order to promote her upcoming catchweight bout against Leslie Smith. And it’s a good thing for the Brazilian, as White and the UFC Public Relations machine can make stars of anyone.
Examples here, here, and here.
But according to Cyborg, she’s already known worldwide, and while she is very appreciative to finally compete inside the eight-walled cage, she’s proud that she didn’t need UFC in order to become a household name.
“Of course, when I go to the UFC, more people will know me. I’ve never been in the UFC but everybody in the world knows Cyborg. I never had the UFC to promote my name and grow my name. I grew my name by myself, by fighting, and of course, with other promotions. I feel very blessed to not have to be in the UFC for people to know me.”
Cyborg has long been pegged as the woman to finally give former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey a run for her money (Holly Holm, though, took care of that). But a bout between them never came to be, and likely never will, as Cyborg and her nutritionist confirmed once and for all that a drop to 135 pounds is simply out of the question.
That means if Cyborg wants to continue fighting inside the Octagon, she better hope White and Co. agree to give her more bouts at 140 pounds.
A weight class that doesn’t exactly exist under the UFC banner.