UFC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg has not been happy with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as of late. Now it would appear that Cyborg is event considering a transition into competing promotion Bellator MMA.
UFC President Dana White has been showing an interest in Cyborg facing off against UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. However, Cyborg has since turned down the super-fight. Offering her reasoning, Cyborg revealed that she is determined to get the UFC to sign more fighters to the female featherweight division of the UFC.
Now, however, Cyborg is growing a little disgruntled with the promotion. Speaking on the Split Decision MMA Podcast, Cyborg revealed her thoughts on moving to Bellator MMA for a featherweight future.
Here is a full transcription of the fighter’s conversation, as provided by Split Decision MMA Podcast.
(B) It is Bueller and Dodge and on the phone, super special guest today we have the women’s featherweight UFC champion, Cris Cyborg Justino coming off a huge win over Holly Holm. Thanks for joining us today Cris.
(C) Thank you. My pleasure to be here to talk a little bit about my career and thank you for this opportunity.
(D) After your big fight with Holly Holm, you called for a fight with Invicta champion Megan Anderson, but Dana White seem insistent that he wants you to fight Amanda Nunes, what’s going on with that.
(C) You know this is my job. My job is to fight at 145 pounds. I really don’t want to (see) the girls at 135…I would like us to advance my division. My division is my history and my legacy. I say Megan Anderson because she is contender #1. But he say she is not ready for this fight.
(D) Dana White has said that Amanda Nunes has already fought at 145. She was supposed to fight you in Strikeforce. He doesn’t have enough girls at 145. Is this something that worries you about the division?
(C) You know Amanda fought at 145 7 years ago….And then Alexis Davis beat her TKO…What you do at 135 don’t change you at 145.
(B) So is that why you’ve already posted on your social media that you were going to fight Megan Anderson even though it hasn’t been accepted yet?
(C) You know I want to fight somebody in my division…. I think she deserves to fight for the belt…When I vacate my belt in Invicta 145, Megan Anderson holds the belt…I don’t have anything against her, I just think she has the right to be contender #1. She’s having issued with her visa, but I know she’s gonna be ready soon.
(B) It’s like when you set up your fight for Holly Holm. You started the hashtag on twitter that it was you vs Holly Holm before it was actually signed. Do you think that by putting this on your social media it will help it get signed quicker?
(C) You know, if you think about it, no one knew who Megan Anderson was before. I have been growing Megan Anderson for almost 2 years for this fight to happen. You can say I’m not just thinking about myself. I try to help all the women.
And Holly Holm, I knew I was going to fight her…I think about growing my division… I have 3 fights left on my contract…I need to fight someone in my division…the I can fight a super fight, but we need to talk to my manager…We can make super fight and an amazing card too…Cuz if you think Amanda, she doesn’t sell pay per views.
See her last fight, Valentina, she made 100k ppvs. She’s no big star, she’s no McGregor. It’s not gonna change my career to fight her. I have 3 fights left…super fights deserves super card.
(D) We’ve recently see Bellator sign a lot of featherweights. They just signed Janee Harding. Is that somewhere if the UFC doesn’t start signing 145lb girls to fight you, that you’re gonna have to go somewhere else to fight?
(C) If you think about it, I’ve has my belt for 145 for like 1 year. They don’t sign any girl 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 say 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 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 original podcast can be heard here.
