MMA News Forums » MMA Forums » General MMA Forum

[Sakara=Excitement]

Cris Cyborg Unleashes After Ronda Rousey Victory; Looking to Leave Strikeforce? | MMAWeekly.com

Strikeforce bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey kept her unbelievable unbeaten streak intact on Saturday night in San Diego, submitting No. 1 contender Sarah Kaufman with an armbar less than a minute into their bout.

The victory increased her streak to nine armbar finishes in nine mixed martial arts fights (including her professional and amateur bouts) for the former Olympic bronze medalist Judoka. Of those nine victories, eight of them came inside the first minute of the fight.

As soon as the fight was over, the talk about a possible fight between Rousey and former Strikeforce 145-pound champion Cris Cyborg Santos hit a fever pitch. Even Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, who was asked about the hypothetical bout’s stature at Saturday’s post-fight press conference, said that, if it were to come together, it would be “one of the biggest fights in the history of mixed martial arts.”

It only took a matter of minutes, however, for Cyborg to throw talk of a fight with Rousey, and Cyborg’s own future with Strikeforce, into disarray.

She quickly took to her official Twitter account after the fight, according to Tatame reporter Guilherme Cruz, saying that she was awaiting her release from Zuffa since her weight class is no more. Cyborg apparently continued that she would look elsewhere for a promotion that has her 145-pound class, specifically mentioning Invicta FC in one tweet, although that tweet appears to have been deleted a short time later.

The timing of her outburst was particularly confounding because the Rousey fight had just ended, leading some of her Twitter followers to question whether or not she was ducking a fight with Rousey.

Even if the fight with Rousey was never to come together because each fighter wished to remain in her respective weight class, Cyborg’s comments about Strikeforce no longer having a featherweight division for her to fight in seem to be without foundation.

There was, in fact, a women’s featherweight fight on Saturday night’s Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman fight card. Hiroko Yamanaka and Germaine de Randamie fought at 145 pounds in a preliminary bout.

Strikeforce officials were equally confused by Cyborg’s comments, particularly in her thinking that there would not be a featherweight division for her to come back to once her steroid-related suspension was completed.

It’s not exactly clear what incited Cyborg to unleash on Twitter the way that she did. Rousey had just won her fight, setting up a potentially huge super fight between the two if they could agree on what weight to fight at. Having a 145-pound bout on Saturday night’s card and Strikeforce officials going on record backing the division erases any concern about a division for her to fight in upon her return, Rousey fight or no Rousey fight.

Perhaps it’s as simple as Cyborg feeling like she’s no longer wanted.

She was the face of women’s MMA until her suspension. During her absence, the promotion, fans, and media have moved on to focus on the Ronda Rousey phenomenan. She’s being called out to face Rousey, even though that’s not even a possibility until after December, when she completes her suspension.

For now, however, Cris Cyborg remains a Strikeforce fighter, if one with an uncertain future. And we’re left to scratch our heads over her latest comments.

[Mac]

Cyborg wants to be respected but she knowingly cheated? Nothing she has done in the sport is legit at this point, how can you respect that?

[Kimbo> Rampage]

Thats the only women's fight that I would watch...

I see Cyborg crushing Ronda.

[1inthechamber]

Originally Posted by Mac

Cyborg wants to be respected but she knowingly cheated? Nothing she has done in the sport is legit at this point, how can you respect that?

That's a pretty ignorant statement, then you say the same for sherk, Sonnen, Marquardt, and etc. Yea she made a stupid mistake like a lot of other fighters but you cant use that for every other fight in which she tested clean.

I believe a lot of these fighters are taking something but you cant judge them off what you think. Regardless of the fact Rousey was the first one to duck Cyborg and took the title match at 135 over her original weight class. Imho Rousey is just trolling Cyborg because she cant make 135.

[Pasha K]

Originally Posted by Mac

Cyborg wants to be respected but she knowingly cheated? Nothing she has done in the sport is legit at this point, how can you respect that?

I disagree. She cheated and of course you can not respect too much someone that has cheated. But to say that nothing she has done is legit is too way exaggerated. You do not achieve that kind of level only with roids.

[1inthechamber]

Originally Posted by Pasha K

I disagree. She cheated and of course you can not respect too much someone that has cheated. But to say that nothing she has done is legit is too way exaggerated. You do not achieve that kind of level only with roids.

Exactly,

I remember a fighter actually saying something along the lines of. "I don't care if my opponents use a ped, it wont make them any better at landing a punch or scoring a takedown"

[MIZjitsZOU]

Originally Posted by 1inthechamber

Exactly,

I remember a fighter actually saying something along the lines of. "I don't care if my opponents use a ped, it wont make them any better at landing a punch or scoring a takedown"

r

The reason that arguement is flawed is the same for baseball. Yeah steroids won't make you a better baseball player, but it could take a ball that was gonna land at the warning track end up in the stands for a dinger.

[CtGreat]

Originally Posted by 1inthechamber

That's a pretty ignorant statement, then you say the same for sherk, Sonnen, Marquardt, and etc. Yea she made a stupid mistake like a lot of other fighters but you cant use that for every other fight in which she tested clean.

I believe a lot of these fighters are taking something but you cant judge them off what you think. Regardless of the fact Rousey was the first one to duck Cyborg and took the title match at 135 over her original weight class. Imho Rousey is just trolling Cyborg because she cant make 135.

I don't respect those guys either. Definitely not Nate the cheat Marquardt who had been caught 3 TIMES MEOW! (intentional meow).

[Sakara=Excitement]

I laugh at anybody complaining about steroids. It's so misguided it's not even funny.

[Lesnar_FTW]

Originally Posted by Sakara=Excitement

I laugh at anybody complaining about steroids. It's so misguided it's not even funny.

I agree. Rousey vs Cyborg is the only women fight that would draw me in on it's own merit however I think Cyborg would crush her.