What options remain for UFC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg?
Cristiane Justino aka Cris Cyborg is the current UFC women’s featherweight champion. She has been dominate at her craft, chalking up an impressive 20-1-1 record. Outside of her no contest, she is unbeaten in mixed martial arts for 13 years, yet she is the only fighter listed on the UFC’s women’s roster at 145lbs. This poses a huge problem for her in the eyes of MMA fans because to be accepted as a true champion she needs to be able defend her belt. It should be noted she has defended her belt twice, first against former UFC 135lb champion Holly Holm, and once against Invicta champion Yana Kunitskaya, that the UFC signed for a one fight deal, but otherwise she sits in an empty division. Unable to drop weight to 135 where a stacked roster sits, Cyborg waits around for the UFC to start signing talent, and it seems like she is frustrated. In a recent interview with MYMMANEWS affiliate Split Decision that made headlines, she stated:
“If you think about it, I’ve had my belt for 145 for like 1 year. They don’t sign any girl at 145, they don’t put any girl fights (in my division) on the undercard…They don’t sign any girls 145. How you gonna grow the division if you don’t sign anybody? When Dana White says ‘ahh we don’t have girls for the division,’ it just sounds crazy to me. Every week I see Bellator sign new girls at 145. They make a division for me in Bellator. If I finish this contract, for me to be the real champ at 145 I have to go to Bellator and fight all the girls there.”
The girls she is talking about include current Bellator champ, and ranked number 2 in the world, Julia Budd, who is 11-2 in MMA and 10-2 in Muay Thai, as well as Arelene Blenclowe, Alexis Dufrense, Talita Nogueira, Marleos Coenen and Amanda Bell, all ranked with in the top 15. It definitely seems as if Bellator is looking to woo Cyborg away from the UFC as she only has two fights left on her UFC contract.
To the UFC’s credit, other options do seem limited. Their first 145lb champion Germaine de Randamie, has refused to fight Cyborg, dropping the belt and returning to the bantamweight division where she is ranked number 5. The number one ranked bantamweight is none other than Holly Holm, whom Cyborg defeated on her first defense. Beyond that, there are not many girls willing to go up in weight to face her. Current bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes has toyed with the idea of a super fight, but nothing has come to fruition yet, both fighters looking for a significant payday promise first. Recently the UFC put out a call for women in the 145lb division for a possible upcoming TUF season, so at least they are beginning to look toward the future.
Outside of the UFC and Bellator, a few women would seemingly fit the challenge. Ediane Gomes, 11-4, currently signed to Invicta. She was supposed to fight Cyborg in Invicta back in 2013 but it never came to fruition but seems interested in the scrap. Another option would be current Invicta featherweight champion, Megan Anderson. With a record of 8-2, she was signed to fight Cyborg at UFC 214, but had to withdraw due to some “personal issues.” Now she is set to make her UFC debut against Holly Holm at UFC 225. If she get through the tough hurdle of Holm, about bout with Cyborg is all but guaranteed. Lastly, Cindy Dandois, 11-3 overall and who is 7 – 1 in her last 8 and with a big win over the aforementioned Anderson, has been calling out Cyborg on Twitter recently. While most girls seem to avoid even the conversation, it is nice to see someone step up and go for it. She has fought at 135, 145, and 155, so the weight advantage Cyborg usually has won’t be an issue. She fought once in the UFC at 135lbs, losing a tough decision to Alexis Davis before being released. Hopefully the UFC will resign her and make it happen.
