Cris Cyborg thinks it’s funny that Germaine de Randamie is asking for Holly Holm rematch
Cris Cyborg was inside Brooklyn's Barclays Center to watch Germaine de Randamie become the first women's featherweight champion in UFC history with a close decision win over Holly Holm, and it looks like the champion is not sold on the idea of facing the Brazilian in her first title defense.
Cyborg, who is battling to get cleared after getting notified by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for a potential drug test failure, is arguably the best female fighter in the history of the sport, and de Randamie, who initially mentioned a hand injury as a reason to postpone a clash with Cyborg, now said she’s open to a rematch with Holm after some controversy at UFC 208.
Cyborg was on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour and said she doesn’t think de Randamie intentionally attacked Holm after the bell Saturday night, and thinks the Dutch fighter deserved the win in Brooklyn. Yet, the Brazilian says it’s “funny" that the new champion changed her tune two days after the title win.
"Sounds funny because they know, they know, before they go inside the cage, ‘if you win this fight, you’re gonna fight Cyborg,’” Cyborg told Ariel Helwani.
"I (was) supposed to fight there, I cannot fight, they make this fight happen, and the winner will be my next opponent. It sounds funny to say ‘oh, fight Cyborg now, I’m injured, I need surgery,' and after you want rematch with Holly Holm.”
The Brazilian star doesn’t think the UFC would book an immediate rematch between de Randamie and Holm because the first fight wasn’t that exciting, she said, and a rematch would not sell pay-per-views.
Despite all the controversy, and being left aside in the first title fight in her original weight class, Cyborg feels great that the promotion is investing in the featherweight division.
"I really felt happy they are having my division,” Cyborg said. "I know the division is gonna keep there. It doesn't matter if I’m gonna fight now or later. And it will be my time. Everybody knows who’s the champion at 145. Almost 10 years world champ, and I keep training like contender No. 1."