Tag: holly holm vs germaine de randamie

Germaine De Randamie Says She’s Returning To Bantamweight Division

The MMA world has neither seen nor heard from UFC women’s featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie since she revealed she would need hand surgery immediately after her highly controversial championship win over Holly Holm in the main event of February’s UFC 208. Today (Mon. May 29, 2016), however, de Randamie has finally broken the silence […]

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The MMA world has neither seen nor heard from UFC women’s featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie since she revealed she would need hand surgery immediately after her highly controversial championship win over Holly Holm in the main event of February’s UFC 208.

Today (Mon. May 29, 2016), however, de Randamie has finally broken the silence about her unwillingness to fight Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino, the consensus top female featherweight in the world and the woman whom many feel is by far the most dominant force in all of women’s MMA. A fight with Cybrorg seems like a no-brainer for de Randamie, yet “The Iron Lady” revealed on her official Instagram account (via MMA Mania) that there were too many issues with drug testing to face Justino:

Dear All,

It’s been a while since I posted something. But because of the commotion that I have come to feel, I feel the need to hear something from me and to clear the air (as far as possible). It is absolutely not so that everything that is said makes me do nothing. Also, I am a human being and I also have feelings. Despite the fact that I’m always positive, the comments make me more than I had hoped. The positive but also the negative.

The fight between me and Chris Cyborg was offered to me last November. Even then, I had all my reservations but I accepted the fight. Chris Cyborg has rejected the fight because she could not get the weight of 66 kilos in twelve weeks time. One month later, she was visited by the USADA and did not pass the test. The rest of the story is known.

My reason for rejecting the fight now has nothing but nothing at all to do with my fear.

I believe that if you want to do sports you do this without any means that can affect the muscle mass. I – as a top athlete – always trained, always watched my food and put 18 years of my life on sports, without using just one means that is not allowed.

Everyone has his or her opinion on this and that may. But that people think to know what my motives are / do not put me in the cold clothes.

Ed Mulholland for USA TODAY Sports

With that announcement, the already uncertain UFC women’s featherweight landscape, which was only just created this year when de Randamie fought Holm for the inaugural title, is even more uncertain, but de Randamie issued yet another post that made it even more so – if that’s even possible.

In the second, she teased that not only would she not fight Cyborg, but she was returning to her original division of women’s bantamweight after having her hand examined:

I work full time and irregularly, which takes a lot of time. In addition, there is still a lot of unclear about my hand. I have an appointment with the doctor on 14 June, and it will be decided whether or not to be operated. This option should also be considered for me because there is a great chance that my tendons / nerves can cause such damage that I could not use my hand more optimally.

During the negotiations on the battle with Holly Holm, I said in advance that after this fight I want to return to my natural weight class of 61 kilos. My task has not been completed yet

The UFC has promised me that this would be no problem and I can just return to my natural weight class.

This is why I am focusing on this moment.

When I fell in love with the martial arts 18 years ago, I had 1 goal. Share my great love with others who have the same love for martial arts as me !! This is my goal and will always remain my goal.

I want to thank everybody who has always stood before me and still support me through thick and thin !! You guys rock.

For all the haters; Two Baths !! “The IronLady” is far from done

So de Randamie is on the sidelines with her return more unclear than ever, and the 145-pound picture is only further clouded by the UFC’s decision to wait on the “Very serious” case of Cyborg punching strawweight Angela Magana at last weekend’s UFC fighter retreat.

If Justino is indeed cleared, she’s lobbied for a fight with Invicta FC featherweight champ Megan Anderson at UFC 214 near her adopted American home.

One thing is certain, however – she won’t be fighting the actual champion, who’s maintained quite possibly the strangest start to a title reign of any UFC champion in MMA history.

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Cyborg Pressures UFC For Fight With Megan Anderson

Less than three months after the inaugural UFC women’s featherweight champion was crowned when Germaine de Randamie outlasted Holly Holm with a controversial decision at February’s UFC 208, no single UFC division – even the middleweight – is currently wrought with more uncertainty. De Randamie has gone absolutely radio silent in the months since after

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Less than three months after the inaugural UFC women’s featherweight champion was crowned when Germaine de Randamie outlasted Holly Holm with a controversial decision at February’s UFC 208, no single UFC division – even the middleweight – is currently wrought with more uncertainty.

De Randamie has gone absolutely radio silent in the months since after citing a need for hand surgery from a nagging injury, prompting many to suggest she’s simply running from the consensus top pound-for-pound fighter in women’s MMA, former Invicta FC featherweight champ Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino.

With “The Iron Lady” out of action, Cyborg recently agreed to a bout with current Invicta featherweight champion Megan Anderson at July 29’s UFC 214 from Anaheim, California, when the rising Aussie star called for it during an appearance on “The MMA Hour.” And the two women aren’t letting up, as Anderson continued her push for what would be the biggest UFC debut possible on Instagram last night:

I’m your huckleberry…. #UFC214 #UFCAnaheim @danawhite where you at mate?? Let’s set this up!

A post shared by Megan Anderson (@megana_mma) on

Cyborg was quick to respond to Anderson’s suggestion she would be her “huckleberry” on Twitter, pressing her employers by asking her fans to voice their support for her to finally fight a bigger opponent:

While nothing has been announced, it seems like a no-brainer for the UFC to create yet another interim title for Cyborg and Anderson to fight for, especially if de Randamie isn’t willing to defend the title.

It comes at a time when the UFC is truly struggling for a high-level bout as the packed summer schedule draws near without a true top bout to headline any of July’s two pay-per-view events. Justino has also been voicing her frustration with the UFC and their promotion of her, calling for them to book her in a fight or cut her.

True, she turned down the original title bout with Holm and may not be all that “easy to work with,” but there’s no denying Cyborg is one of the most controversial and recognizable stars that will actually fight in the UFC during this disastrous start to 2017 for the promotion.

UFC 214, which is centered near Cyborg’s adopted US home, has also been rumored to feature the long-waited Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones rematch, a fight UFC President Dana White has repeatedly stated won’t headline a card due to “Bones’” frequent problems with making it to feature bouts lately. Justino had recently voiced a willingness to face de Randamie on the card but nothing came to fruition.

Not many fights could conceivably headlines above Cormier vs. Jones II, but Cyborg fighting for her first UFC title is certainly one of them.

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Germaine De Randamie May Vacate Women’s Featherweight Title

UFC women’s featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie has neither been seen nor heard from ever since she won the inaugural UFC women’s 145-pound title with a close and controversial decision win against Holly Holm in the main event of February’s UFC 208 from Brooklyn, New York. The obvious direction for “The Iron Lady” was a

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UFC women’s featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie has neither been seen nor heard from ever since she won the inaugural UFC women’s 145-pound title with a close and controversial decision win against Holly Holm in the main event of February’s UFC 208 from Brooklyn, New York.

The obvious direction for “The Iron Lady” was a title bout against former Invicta and Strikeforce champ Cris “Cyborg” Justino, the woman a majority of the MMA universe feels is far and away the best female fighter on the planet and arguably the solitary reason the UFC created a women’s featherweight division, even if she turned down the first title bout in the weight class this year.

But when she was faced with the prospect of meeting Cyborg in the cage after her win over Holm, de Randamie said she would need time off to have hand surgery to repair an injury that had been bothering her for three fights. Justino teased a meeting with de Randamie at July 29’s UFC 214, but there has been no update in the two-and-a-half months since until now, and it appears the news isn’t promising.

Earlier this week, MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani tweeted that de Randamie’s future was “up in the air” as she was possibly targeting a fourth quarter return but may even vacate the belt without defending it:

Helwani stated retirement wasn’t an option as of right now, but her fighting future was still very uncertain as questions began to mount about the UFC’s newest champ:

It’s a situation that will almost definitely continue to irk UFC ownership, who created a division with de Randamie, Justino, and Holm to save a pay-per-view (PPV) card, a decision that did not prove to be a great one when UFC 208 was derided as one of the more lackluster pay events in years.

The obvious reaction will be that de Randamie is ducking Cyborg, and based on the ruthlessness and ferocity which she’s been finishing each and every opponent, it’s easy to see why people think that. De Randamie had to know a fight with the most controversial female in MMA was coming though, and to sit on the sidelines for a full year after winning a close call for the belt just isn’t a good look for the titleholder of a division many thought shouldn’t have been installed anyway.

On top of that mess, enough weight classes are already in a state of confusion as it is, so adding yet another uncertain set of circumstances only casts more doubt on possibly the most auspicious start to a UFC calendar year we’ve seen. Can the new owners rise above the mounting avalanche of seemingly endless issues to cash in on their $4 billion investment?

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Cris Cyborg Says She’s Fighting For Title Alongside Cormier vs. Jones

The UFC has supposedly heard Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino’s ultimatum and finally granted her a title fight. That is, if there’s any truth to her latest tweet. The former Strikeforce and Invicta FC featherweight champion recently posted online that she would be fighting UFC women’s featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie at July 29’s UFC 214 from

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The UFC has supposedly heard Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino’s ultimatum and finally granted her a title fight.

That is, if there’s any truth to her latest tweet.

The former Strikeforce and Invicta FC featherweight champion recently posted online that she would be fighting UFC women’s featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie at July 29’s UFC 214 from Anaheim, California, a card that UFC President Dana White revealed could host the anticipated Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones rematch last night:

Long considered the most dominant force in women’s MMA, and even more so with the recent downfall of Ronda Rousey, Cyborg recently vacated her Invicta FC 145-pound belt in March in order to focus solely on the newly-created UFC belt which de Randamie won in a highly controversial decision win over Holly Holm at UFC 208 in February.

She was also cleared of a potential USADA anti-doping violation allegedly stemming from her draining cuts down to 140 pounds last year in February and seems ready to fight for the belt soon, but de Randamie also revealed she needed hand surgery after the win over Holm, making a potential booking versus Cyborg uncertain as of this writing.

There’s been no official word from the UFC on this potentially huge title fight, just as there’s been little to no discussion of how healed up de Randamie is – or is not.

If the UFC can book the bout alongside Cormier vs. Jones II and everything falls into place perfectly like it would have to, however, UFC 214 could quickly become one of the most anticipated fight events of the year.

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Commission Denies Holly Holm’s Appeal Of UFC 208 Loss

Holly Holm will have to get her revenge on Germaine de Randamie the old-fashioned way. After it was revealed ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ would appeal her highly controversial unanimous decision loss to de Randamie in the main event of February 11’s UFC 208 from Brooklyn, New York, Holm’s manager Lenny Fresquez has informed MMA Fighting that

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Holly Holm will have to get her revenge on Germaine de Randamie the old-fashioned way.

After it was revealed ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ would appeal her highly controversial unanimous decision loss to de Randamie in the main event of February 11’s UFC 208 from Brooklyn, New York, Holm’s manager Lenny Fresquez has informed MMA Fighting that their appeal has been denied by the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC).

Criticism and controversy arose for the newly-crowned UFC women’s featherweight champion de Randamie when she hit Holm with some powerful punches seconds after the bell in both rounds two and three and referee Todd Anderson failed to take a point. The inexperienced official appeared to overcompensate by stepping in between the two fighters after the fourth round, but the damage was done and he’s come under extreme scrutiny as a result.

De Randamie has since issued an apology to Holm claiming she’s not a dirty fighter, and even went as far as offering her an immediate rematch for the title, an odd situation given ‘The Iron Lady’ stated she needed some time off for surgery when faced with the prospect of facing Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino in her next fight.

Photo by Ed Mulholland for USA TODAY Sports

Holm’s team was accepting of the NYSAC’s decision, with Fresquez telling MMA Fighting they would move on to hope for the rematch de Randamie offered:

“We respect their decision and will not seek anything further, except a rematch from Germaine.”

Holm wasn’t as forgiving during a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, however, noting that while many may think she’s whining and complaining about a fight she did little to win, de Randamie should own up to the fouls committed, which were intentional in Holm’s eyes:

“I’m not trying to be like a wuss about it and whine. That’s definitely not what I’m trying to do. I think that’s a hard spot for me. A lot of people keep saying, well, she hit you after the bell, how do you feel? Well, I’m a fighter. I’m not going to sit here and whine about it and complain. There’s a lot of things I could have done.

“At least own it. She knows she did it on purpose and one of them definitely rocked me.”

It remains to be seen if the rematch between de Randamie and Holm will come to fruition, but it’s hard to imagine a plausible scenario where anyone but Cyborg fights for the championship in the fledging division next.

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Cris Cyborg: The Uncrowned Featherweight Queen

For years, fight fans drooled over the idea of a potential super fight between former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and Invicta FC champion Cris Cyborg Justino. At one point, it was clear that Rousey and Justino were the best in the world in regards to women’s MMA, but in the fight game, fans

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For years, fight fans drooled over the idea of a potential super fight between former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and Invicta FC champion Cris Cyborg Justino.

At one point, it was clear that Rousey and Justino were the best in the world in regards to women’s MMA, but in the fight game, fans always want to know who the true king, or queen in this case, of the jungle is. The weight disparity between the two, however, has always proved to be too much of a barrier to the fight taking place.

Rousey has since brutally fallen from her throne, but Cyborg has indeed made her way over to the UFC. Making her Octagon debut at May 2016’s UFC 198, Justino scored a vicious first round knockout victory over Leslie Smith in a 140-pound catchweight bout. She followed that up with yet another impressive stoppage victory over Lina Lansberg this past September in her native Brazil with the bout once again taking place at 140 pounds.

Photo Credit: Jason Silva for USA TODAY Sports

It was clear that Cyborg’s brutal knockout power transferred over to the Octagon quite nicely. It was also clear that she was a legitimate draw and a legitimate star, but it was even clearer that she would never fight at 135 pounds. Weight once again proved to be an issue as she struggled to make the 140-pound catchweight limit.

The UFC, being the money-driven business it is, however, knew Cyborg was a valuable asset and an asset worth keeping, which is why they created a women’s featherweight division. The inaugural female 145-pound champion was crowned in the main event of last weekend’s (Feb. 11, 2017) UFC 208 from Brooklyn, New York, but oddly enough, Justino was not involved in the fight.

Instead, former bantamweight champion Holly Holm took on Dutch striker Germaine de Randamie. Shortly after the bout was announced, Cyborg was flagged by USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) for a potential anti-doping violation. Given that she has dealt with performance-enhancing-drug issues in the past, few were surprised that Justino was flagged, and it then made sense why she wasn’t a part of UFC 208’s main event.

De Randamie went on to win a somewhat controversial decision over Holm, but the division was left in a clutter. It had a champion who few felt was the best featherweight in the world, and a clear lack of contenders.

Yesterday (Feb. 17, 2017), however, it was announced that Justino had a received a retroactive TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemption), meaning that she was eligible to compete in the UFC immediately.

With that being said, it’s clear that de Randamie vs. Justino is the fight to make, despite the fact that “The Iron Lady” said she may need hand surgery when asked about fighting the Brazilian slugger.

Either way, the fight world will likely get to see what it’s been waiting so long for: Cris Cyborg competing in the UFC at her natural weight. In other words, the uncrowned featherweight queen should finally get the chance to capture her crown.

Will she seize the opportunity?

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