Tag: Cris Cyborg

Francis Ngannou’s MMA Return Official For PFL Super Fight Card, Cris Cyborg Co-Headlines

Former UFC champions Francis Ngannou and Cris Cyborg both have their mixed martial arts returns and PFL debuts in the calendar. Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, hasn’t competed in MMA since his successful title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022. Since then, he’s departed the UFC off the back of […]

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Former UFC champions Francis Ngannou and Cris Cyborg both have their mixed martial arts returns and PFL debuts in the calendar.

Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, hasn’t competed in MMA since his successful title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022. Since then, he’s departed the UFC off the back of a lengthy contractual dispute and found a new home.

“The Predator” put pen to paper on an exclusive MMA deal with the PFL last May, which also sees him as the chairman of PFL Africa, set to launch in 2025. He’s yet to enter the SmartCage, however, instead using the freedom granted to him to complete a long-desired venture to the boxing ring.

And after shocking the world with his performance against then-WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Ngannou remained in the boxing world for a blockbuster matchup with former two-time unified champ Anthony Joshua.

A brutal knockout loss to “AJ” in Saudi Arabia this past March appeared to put a stop to his charge in the ring for the time being, and Ngannou’s sights are back on the sport in which he made his name.

The PFL announced in a press release this week that “The Predator” will debut in a pay-per-view main event on October 19. As expected, he’ll share the Octagon with Renan Ferreira, the promotion’s 2023 heavyweight champ who secured the much sought-after Ngannou bout by stopping Ryan Bader in seconds this past February.

In the release, Ngannou commented on his confirmed first foray into the PFL cage, noting that he’s had his eyes on “Problema” for a while.

“Renan is a great fighter; I have been watching him for years,” Ngannou said. “I have been studying him for years, in fact I’ve been telling people to watch this guy. He’s quite unique, he’s athletic, fast, his size doesn’t impress me as much as his skill.”

Ngannou won’t be the only major name making a long-awaited return, with Bellator Women’s Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg making the walk to compete in MMA for the first time since October 2023.

Continue Reading Francis Ngannou’s MMA Return Official For PFL Super Fight Card, Cris Cyborg Co-Headlines at MMA News.

Cris Cyborg Speaks On Footage Of Dana White Slapping His Wife

Bellator Women’s Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg recently shared her thoughts on UFC President Dana White hitting his wife on New Year’s Eve. Cyborg joined the UFC in 2016 and became UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion at UFC 214 in…

Bellator Women’s Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg recently shared her thoughts on UFC President Dana White hitting his wife on New Year’s Eve. Cyborg joined the UFC in 2016 and became UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion at UFC 214 in July 2017. The Brazilian MMA legend moved over to Bellator following her UFC 240 win over Felicia…

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Cris Cyborg condemns Dana White for slapping his wife: “Aggressively and pull her into his personal space.”

Cris Cyborg Dana WhiteCombat sports veteran and women’s MMA all-time great Cris Cyborg has joined a chorus of other fighters condemning Dana White’s recent actions. The UFC president Dana White was caught on video on New Year’s Eve striking his wife, Anne. Some Twitter users have attempted to reason with the situation trying to say that Anne struck […]

Cris Cyborg Dana White

Combat sports veteran and women’s MMA all-time great Cris Cyborg has joined a chorus of other fighters condemning Dana White’s recent actions.

The UFC president Dana White was caught on video on New Year’s Eve striking his wife, Anne.

Some Twitter users have attempted to reason with the situation trying to say that Anne struck him first. MMA fighter Cris Cyborg responded with conviction, she said:

“I watched the video and saw a larger man grab his wife by the arm aggressively and pull her into his personal space. That was the fist physical aggression in the video.”

Cris Cyborg and other fighters on Dana White

Cris Cyborg is an all-time great MMA fighter who has held world titles in the UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce, and Invicta. The Brazilian fighter is a trailblazer making her professional debut in 2005. Cris has also earned impressive records having competed in professional boxing, Muay Thai, and submission grappling. She is not the first fighter to comment on the situation with Dana White and his wife.

Bellator fighter Corey Anderson Tweeted:

“No way this [is] the first time he’s hit her or her hitting him.They both reacted with zero hesitation as if they’ve done it before.”

UFC middleweight Derek Brunson said:

“If I post my meme I’m getting fired??? start me a gofundme and I’ll do it.”

Former UFC fighter Kevin Lee added:

“This is why you shouldn’t drink alcohol..”

In 2018, former UFC champion Frank Shamrock said:

“I am so sorry for ur abuse. Btw [Dana White] doesn’t care. I watched him beat up a woman and then celebrate. He is racist, [liar], a bully and generally a bad person.”

Dana White has attempted to rectify the situation. In a statement, the UFC president said:

“My wife and I love each other, we’ve been together for a very long time. We’ve known each other since we were very little, and this is just one of those unfortunate situations.”

Conor McGregor Takes Issue With ESPN’s List Of Top 10 Women’s MMA Fighters: ‘Cyborg Is A Convicted Steroid Cheat!’

Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor was seemingly not pleased to see one name high up a recent list of top women’s MMA fighters. This week, ESPN has released two lists ranking the top 10 male and female mixed martial artists of the 21st century. UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones took top spot above runner-up […]

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Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor was seemingly not pleased to see one name high up a recent list of top women’s MMA fighters.

This week, ESPN has released two lists ranking the top 10 male and female mixed martial artists of the 21st century. UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones took top spot above runner-up Georges St-Pierre for the men.

The women’s list, meanwhile, was topped by former two-division titleholder Amanda Nunes, who brought her career to an end following a successful defense of the bantamweight belt last June.

The “Lioness” pipped Cris Cyborg and Ronda Rousey to the post, with the pair of ex-champs coming in at second and third, respectively.

The entries included a description of each woman’s accomplishments in the game. For Cyborg, that’s currently occupying the Bellator featherweight throne and formerly holding UFC, Strikeforce, and Invicta FC gold, making her the only fighter to win championships in four major MMA promotions.

McGregor, however, thinks ESPN missed out a key piece of information.

McGregor Sends Cyborg Reminder After Seeing ESPN List

The former featherweight and lightweight UFC champ was a point of discussion following the release of the men’s top 10, having missed out on a spot among the likes of Chuck Liddell and Kamaru Usman.

Perhaps agitated by his omission or simply keeping up with his habit of targeting fellow fighters on social media, McGregor looked to take away from Cyborg’s accomplishments and high placement on ESPN’s list with a reminder about her past drug failure.

Conor McGregor
Image: @TheNotoriousMMA on X

“Cyborg is a convicted steroid cheat let’s not forget,” McGregor wrote in a now-deleted post on X.

Cyborg tested positive for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid commonly used as a performance-enhancing drug, in December 2011. The California Athletic State Commission suspended Cyborg’s license for one year and fined her $2,500 for the indiscretion.

The Brazilian’s drug test failure remained a topic of conversation in the years that followed, with UFC CEO Dana White making reference to it prior to Cyborg’s bitter split from the promotion in 2019.

“We brought in her after she tested positive for steroids and we made her a clean athlete with the best drug testing policy in all of sports the entire time she was here,” White said during a media scrum. “When she talks about her legacy and her brand, her legacy and her brand, nothing’s better than knowing she’s a clean athlete after testing positive for steroids and all the negativity that surrounded her about being a dirty athlete. We bring her in here, we do all this stuff, and she was just never happy.”

Cyborg hasn’t tested positive for banned substances aside from the 2011 case.

When it comes to her legacy and spot in women’s MMA greatness, Cyborg appears far from done. While Nunes remains on the sidelines pondering a return from retirement, Cyborg has been pushing for her PFL debut since the promotion acquired Bellator.

By all accounts, the Bellator featherweight champ is being lined up to face her PFL counterpart, Larissa Pacheco, at a pay-per-view event in Saudi Arabia this fall.

Continue Reading Conor McGregor Takes Issue With ESPN’s List Of Top 10 Women’s MMA Fighters: ‘Cyborg Is A Convicted Steroid Cheat!’ at MMA News.

Cris Cyborg unsure on potential UFC return, open to Amanda Nunes rematch: ‘Let’s see what happens’

Cris Cyborg UFCFormer undisputed UFC featherweight champion, Cris Cyborg maintains she is unsure of a potential return to the Dana White-led organization amid their frosty relationship, however, would have to weigh up a potential comeback if a rematch with compatriot, Amanda Nunes surfaced.  Cyborg, the current undisputed Bellator MMA featherweight champion, last featured in the main event […]

Cris Cyborg UFC

Former undisputed UFC featherweight champion, Cris Cyborg maintains she is unsure of a potential return to the Dana White-led organization amid their frosty relationship, however, would have to weigh up a potential comeback if a rematch with compatriot, Amanda Nunes surfaced. 

Cyborg, the current undisputed Bellator MMA featherweight champion, last featured in the main event of Bellator 279 back in April of this year in Hawaii, defeating two-time foe, Arlene Blencowe in a unanimous decision triumph.

The outing marked Cyborg’s final contracted bout under the banner of the Scott Coker-led promotion, before the Brazilian took a pair of boxing matches before the close of this year.

During her time under the UFC banner, Cyborg, a former Invicta FC, and Strikeforce featherweight gold holder to boot, managed to amass a 5-1 promotional record – including victories in three championship bouts.

Matching with then-bantamweight best, Nunes back in 2018, Cyborg saw her stunning 13-year undefeated run come to a crashing halt courtesy of a first round knockout, with the former minting herself as a two-weight champion with a 51-second finish. 

Cris Cyborg admits she may miss out on a second fight with compatriot, Amanda Nunes

In the time since, Cyborg has been linked with a potential return to the UFC in pursuit of avenging her loss to Nunes, however, admitted her frosty relationship with the promotion and White would force her to consider a return.

“I don’t feel like I wanna go back to the UFC, because I don’t have the best relationship over there,” Cris Cyborg told Middleeasy during an interview. “I think the pay for the fighters is very different. Some fighters, they’re happy there, but for me, it was a really known good, great thing for my brand. I don’t know, I still feel like I’m really happy where I’m at now.”

“I would lose out on the rematch (with Amanda Nunes), but then the opportunity supposed to happen in the rematch they (the UFC) didn’t give me,” Cris Cyborg explained. “Even (Nunes), she said I have to wait two years. Maybe if this fight happens in the future, I’m gonna be there fighting and it can happen. I always leave in God’s hands and if it happens, I’m gonna be ready for sure. I’ll improve my game and learning and they’re gonna be great fight. So, let’s see what’s gonna happen in the future.”

Cris Cyborg drops Gabrielle Holloway in professional boxing debut, scores unanimous decision win

Cris CyborgMaking a successful transition to professional boxing last weekend on the undercard of welterweight champion, Terence Crawford’s return to the ring, current undisputed Bellator MMA featherweight champion, Cris Cyborg turned in a unanimous decision win over Gabrielle Holloway in her first professional outing in the sport. Cyborg, a former Strikeforce, Invicta FC, and UFC featherweight […]

Cris Cyborg

Making a successful transition to professional boxing last weekend on the undercard of welterweight champion, Terence Crawford’s return to the ring, current undisputed Bellator MMA featherweight champion, Cris Cyborg turned in a unanimous decision win over Gabrielle Holloway in her first professional outing in the sport.

Cyborg, a former Strikeforce, Invicta FC, and UFC featherweight champion, made a boxing outing earlier this year in a return to her native Brazil, defeating Simone Aparecida da Silva back in September in a unanimous decision victory.

Co-headlining beneath the aforenoted, Crawford’s knockout win over David Avanesyan in Omaha, Cris Cyborg managed to score a first professional win in the squared circle, defeating the aforementioned, Holloway in a unanimous decision (40-35, 39-36, 40-34) over the course of the dfour round limit.

Dropping 12-fight professional mixed martial arts veteran, Holloway in the third round, Cris Cyborg was unable to force the issue in the fourth and final round – however, managed to secure a unanimous decision triumph nonetheless. 

Yet to be booked since successfully defending her Bellator featherweight championship in a rematch against Arlene Blencowe back in April of this year, Cyborg has since become a free agent and is eligible to field offers from other promotions, however, is expected to re-up with the Scott Coker-led organization. 

Cris Cyborg linked to potential fight with Irish star, Katie Taylor

Linked with a potential future boxing match against world champion, the undefeated Wicklow native, Katie Taylor in the future – Cyborg is recognised as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, having clinched championships in each of the four promotion’s she competed in during her time on United States soil. 

A quadruple crown champion, Cyborg has landed notable professional victories over the likes of Shayna Baszler, Gina Carano, Marloes Coenen, Leslie Smith, Lina Lansberg, Tonya Evinger, Holly Holm, Yana Kunitskaya, Julia Budd, and Sinead Kavanagh to name a few.