Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino is perhaps the best women’s MMA fighter of all time. She has also cultivated a reputation as one of the most ferocious and intimidating fighters in the sport, regardless of gender. But Justino has the misfortune of fighting in a division – 145 pounds – that is thin in the women’s ranks.
Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino is perhaps the best women’s MMA fighter of all time. She has also cultivated a reputation as one of the most ferocious and intimidating fighters in the sport, regardless of gender. But Justino has the misfortune of fighting in a division – 145 pounds – that is thin in the women’s ranks. As such, the Chute Boxe representative has had a difficult time finding suitable opposition for much of her career. Her imposing physicality and ever-improving skill set mean that few women in her weight class can withstand her.
Contrary to her profile as a savage finisher, the woman known as ‘Cyborg’ has not always been as dangerous as her current iteration. That is reason there are not more victims on this list.
She lost her MMA debut via kneebar, and has gradually shored up her grappling skills throughout her career. Justino has always been physically imposing, but her striking and wrestling have come a long way from when she won her first major title in Strikeforce in 2009. In that fight against Gina Carano, ‘Cyborg’ repeatedly found herself in compromising positions. She relied on brute strength and her clinch game to carry her through large portions of the contest.
Since then, as she has developed her boxing and jiu jitsu to match her her physicality and vicious clinch game, she has dominated her foes more and more. As her second fight in the UFC approaches, a 140-pound catchweight against Lina Lansberg, let us take a look back at the opponents Cristiane Justino has crushed most mercilessly.
(“Oh hey, didn’t see you there. When my doctor first informed me that I would be getting murdered by Cris Cyborg this April, I had lots of questions; Is there anything I can do to prevent getting murdered? Would bringing a friend to the fight help my chances? Why me, God, WHYYYY?!“)
It has recently been announced that Cris Cyborg’s originally scheduled opponent for her Invicta FC debut on April 5th, Ediane Gomes, has been forced to withdraw from their Invicta FC 5 bout with a rib injury. It’s a real shame, because as someone who used to beat up dudes on the Brazilian underground fight circuit (Fallon Fox’s doppelganger, if you will.*fires invisible pistols*), Gomes was being given more than a snowball’s chance in Hell against Cyborg, a privilege few of her opponents have been able to enjoy.
But now, stepping in on short notice against the former Strikeforce women’s featherweight champ will be Fiona Muxlow, a 6-2 grappling specialist out of Queensland, Australia. Originally scheduled to face Julia Budd at the event (who is now awaiting a replacement opponent as of this write up), Muxlow has not competed since dropping a first round armbar to Marloes Coenen at DREAM 18 on New Year’s Eve last year, snapping a three fight win streak in the process.
Although Muxlow is coming off a loss — one she was utterly dominated in at that — and lacks any notable victories, one should look beyond the numbers to see what this woman is truly capable of. For starters, she began her MMA career by submitting three straight opponents in a one night tournament, so we know she’s a finisher and has cardio for days to boot. Secondly, Muxlow has a poker face that will burn a hole right through your soul. That HAS to count for something in this topsy-turvy world, dammit.
(“Oh hey, didn’t see you there. When my doctor first informed me that I would be getting murdered by Cris Cyborg this April, I had lots of questions; Is there anything I can do to prevent getting murdered? Would bringing a friend to the fight help my chances? Why me, God, WHYYYY?!“)
It has recently been announced that Cris Cyborg’s originally scheduled opponent for her Invicta FC debut on April 5th, Ediane Gomes, has been forced to withdraw from their Invicta FC 5 bout with a rib injury. It’s a real shame, because as someone who used to beat up dudes on the Brazilian underground fight circuit (Fallon Fox’s doppelganger, if you will.*fires invisible pistols*), Gomes was being given more than a snowball’s chance in Hell against Cyborg, a privilege few of her opponents have been able to enjoy.
But now, stepping in on short notice against the former Strikeforce women’s featherweight champ will be Fiona Muxlow, a 6-2 grappling specialist out of Queensland, Australia. Originally scheduled to face Julia Budd at the event (who is now awaiting a replacement opponent as of this write up), Muxlow has not competed since dropping a first round armbar to Marloes Coenen at DREAM 18 on New Year’s Eve last year, snapping a three fight win streak in the process.
Although Muxlow is coming off a loss — one she was utterly dominated in at that — and lacks any notable victories, one should look beyond the numbers to see what this woman is truly capable of. For starters, she began her MMA career by submitting three straight opponents in a one night tournament, so we know she’s a finisher and has cardio for days to boot. Secondly, Muxlow has a poker face that will burn a hole right through your soul. That HAS to count for something in this topsy-turvy world, dammit.
