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Germaine De Randamie ‘Had No Idea’ She Was Being Stripped Of Title

After she publicly refused to fight consensus top contender Crsitiane “Cyborg” Justino, there were rumors that the UFC would strip former women’s featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie of her title even though she only won it at February’s UFC 208. Today, the promotion did just that, stripping de Randamie of the gold and booking Cyborg […]

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Today, the promotion did just that, stripping de Randamie of the gold and booking Cyborg vs. Invicta 145-pound titleholder Megan Anderson for the main event of July 29’s suddenly stacked UFC 214 from Anaheim, California.

The move was expected in order to clear up the women’s featherweight landscape, which had no cohesion or direction after de Randamie won the belt in incredibly controversial fashion over Holm before essentially running from Cyborg and disappearing from the public eye. However, it apparently came as news to de Randamie, who told MMA Fighting that she found out she had been stripped when she saw Cyborg vs. Anderson was made official online:

“I had absolutely no idea that I was being stripped of the belt. I found out through social media. Cyborg (Justino) is going to fight Megan (Anderson) for the belt.

“Nobody ever told me anything about it.”

Yet the move was expected by the vast majority of the MMA world, and the UFC saw her refusal to fight Cyborg as a decision that obviously made her expendable. In a statement on UFC.com, the promotion explained their position, citing de Randamie’s refusal to fight the top contender as threatening to the ‘integrity of the sport’:

“UFC has informed Germaine de Randamie and her management team that she is being removed as the women’s featherweight champion due to her unwillingness to fight the No. 1 ranked contender, Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino. Subsequently, top contender Justino will face newly signed Invicta FC featherweight champion Megan Anderson for the UFC women’s featherweight title in the co-main event of UFC® 214: CORMIER vs. JONES 2, July 29 in Anaheim, Calif.

UFC maintains that any champion is expected to accept fights against the top contenders in their respective weight classes in order to maintain the integrity of the sport.”

While a simple structured system where the champions fight top contenders is exactly what countless fans have been clamoring for throughout the UFC’s rough start to 2017, in truth it’s clear to see that the UFC will make exceptions to this so-called effort to ‘maintain the integrity of the sport,’ as both Conor McGregor and Michael Bisping have been allowed to choose their opponents, for better or worse.

Those names are much bigger than de Randamie’s, of course, and with a massive loan being worked on by new UFC owner’s WME-IMG, “The Iron Lady” clearly wasn’t in a position to be calling her shots, especially when women’s featherweight was essentially created to showcase Cyborg’s dominance. De Randamie was only brought on a late replacement when Cyborg wasn’t able to fight Holm at UFC 208.

The division doesn’t really have any other fighters outside of Cyborg and Anderson right now, but with de Randamie refusing to fight Cyborg due to her questionable history with performance-enhancing drugs (and some would argue outright fear), the decision to strip her of the title because she wouldn’t fight the woman who most believe to the uncrowned champ was an easy one.

De Randamie wasn’t bringing in the bucks, and that’s what the UFC obviously cares about these days.

Just don’t say it was to simply uphold the “integrity of the sport.”

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Cat Zingano Eying Cyborg Fight – But Not At UFC 214

Former Invicta FC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg Justino has repeatedly expressed interest in competing at July 29’s UFC 214 from Anaheim, California. UFC President Dana White also recently confirmed that Cyborg will indeed fight on the card, but the only problem is finding a willing opponent to share the cage with the Brazilian slugger. The […]

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The UFC was targeting a bout between Justino and former 135-pound title challenger Cat Zingano, but Zingano recently said that she wouldn’t be able to fight in July.

Recently speaking on the topic, Zingano said that she’s currently dealing with some health issues, but she also confirmed that a fight with Cyborg is ‘coming’ and that she wants it:

“Both the UFC and (her manager) Ed (Soares) want me to handle some health and personal things before I go into a fight like this,” Zingano told MMAFighting.com on Thursday evening. “As always, I think I can beat her right now, but if there is a more optimal level I can perform at, we all want me to reach that level. I think we all know I am the only one that can potentially take this chick any day, any time, when I’m 100 percent healthy and happy.

“But don’t worry, it’s coming, and I want it. The cool part is the UFC is supporting me in making the best decision and getting me to my highest level of health through the new treatment facility and staff there. I feel grateful for them looking out. I feel like they may be trying to make some changes, and I’m excited to be a part of the growth and evolution of fighter consideration.”

Justino, a fighter many consider to be the very best female on the planet, has had an excellent career, although one filled with some controversy regarding a history of drug test issues. With that being said, Zingano said she respects the Brazilian, although she isn’t scared of her:

“If she had to do steroids to get to this level, then she’s not as good as me,” Zingano said. “I’m going to put her through hell, she’s never had to work as hard as me. I’m not scared of her. She had to use substances to get through the things I’ve gotten through naturally. I’ve got respect for her, but when people say it can’t be done, all I say is watch me do it and stay off my (band)wagon once I do.

“I like Cris and I respect her, but if it’s either her or me out there, I’ll be damned if the food is not going on my table.”

Throughout her Octagon career thus far, Cyborg has scored back-to-back stoppage victories over Leslie Smith and Lina Lansberg, with both of those wins coming in 140-pound catchweight bouts. It has been quite difficult to get the fearsome puncher an opponent, but Zingano appears to be confident in her chances:

“I will do everything I’m saying I’m going to do,” Zingano said. “This isn’t a fight you go into with the medical bullshit I have, and the UFC knows I’m capable and it’s probable. It’s a different life problem with Cyborg, but one I have the solution to.

“I had to be smart about this fight, which means taking care of a few things first, but I’m in.”

Is this a fight you’d like to see?

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Cat Zingano Explains Why She Won’t be Cris Cyborg’s Opponent at UFC 214

Cat Zingano wants a bout with Cris Cyborg, but July 29 isn’t the date for such a match-up. All eyes have been on Cyborg as of late. Following Germaine de Randamie’s unwillingness to defend her title, many have wondered who will step up to face Cyborg. Zingano has expressed interest in the bout, but UFC […]

Dana White Confirms Cris Cyborg Will Still Fight At UFC 214

Yesterday, news came that Invicta FC featherweight champion Megan Anderson would defend her title at July 15’s Invicta FC 24, closing the door on her rumored contest with dominant former Invicta champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino at July 29’s UFC 214 – at least for now. Cyborg is currently awaiting the results of the battery charge […]

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Yesterday, news came that Invicta FC featherweight champion Megan Anderson would defend her title at July 15’s Invicta FC 24, closing the door on her rumored contest with dominant former Invicta champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino at July 29’s UFC 214 – at least for now.

Cyborg is currently awaiting the results of the battery charge she was dealt for punching women’s strawweight Angela Magana at the UFC fighter retreat two weeks ago, something that could potentially delay her octagon return after UFC President Dana White called the charges a “very serious” matter. Today, White appeared on the UFC’s “Unfiltered” podcast to give his personal opinion on the messy situation:

“But here’s the thing; if you’re Cyborg, you go up and let her know how you feel. Say, ‘you said all this mean shit about me, here’s what I think about you.’ Boom, boom. You walk away. Or just stay away from her the whole retreat. Listen, I’m not sitting here like, ‘Mr. I take the high road,’ because I never take the fuckin’ high road, but listen, assault is, you can’t go and assault somebody. You can’t do it.”

White then shifted the topic of discussion to Cyborg’s highly-publicized desire to fight at UFC 214, insisting that even though it may not be against Anderson, the brutalizing female force would still fight at the card near her adopted American home in Anaheim, and it would still reportedly be in the main event after he insisted Jon Jones would not return to a main event:

“Cris Cyborg will fight in the main event, Cormier vs. Jon Jones. I’m working on it.”

With Anderson not an option and 145-pound women’s champ Germaine de Randamie clearly ducking Justino, a bout with former UFC women’s bantamweight title contender Cat Zingano has been discussed for Cyborg, even though she hasn’t been all that enthusiastic about it because Zingano hasn’t won a fight since 2014.

White revealed Zingano was very encouraged about the potential main event fight, but some lingering physical ailments unfortunately meant she won’t be ready by July 29:

“No, Cat Zingano wants to, and we were looking at Cat Zingano, but Cat’s not ready physically. She still has some, she’s been out for awhile because she has some physical issues she was dealing with; she’s not gonna be ready. Oh, she wants the Cyborg fight. She wants it fight. Oh yeah, Cat’s tough, she’s fighter, she’s gritty.”

So we have a sort of confirmation from White that the world’s most dominant female fighter will fight at UFC 214, but with the card already going down next month, it’s far from guaranteed we’ll see Justino in the main event. There simply aren’t many 145-pound or 135-pound women out there willing to take what most would perceive as a one-sided beatdown, even if it dos come with arguably the largest payday and media attention in women’s MMA right now.

But as always White is “working on it,” so fans will just have to wait and see what his efforts produce for the main event of UFC 214.

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Cat Zingano: ‘I am Sitting Here Guaranteeing Now I’m Going to be The Champion’

Cat Zingano is confident that she will capture Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) gold. Zingano is currently the seventh ranked UFC women’s bantamweight. She holds finishes over former champion Miesha Tate and reigning title holder Amanda Nunes. Despite dropping two straight bouts, “Alpha” is still considered to be a threat. In a recent interview with Flo […]