What’s the story?
Cris Cyborg has climbed her way up the Women’s MMA ladder and has successfully become a champion in every organisation she has previously fought for.
When the UFC offered her a shot at the Inaugural UFC Women’s Featherweight title, she refused to take it. According to Mmamania.com, Tito Ortiz had revealed the reason for the denial but his statements were claimed to be false by Cyborg’s team.
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Cyborg had been offered multiple dates for the inaugural 145-pound title fight but she turned them all down. She has been going through a tough time recently with her weight cuts, as a result of which she has been fighting at catchweight.
She had stated that she required more time to recover from her last weight reduction. According to her, she had preferred to fight in March, but the UFC had refused her requests and offered the fight to Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie instead, which is scheduled for UFC 208 on February 11.
The heart of the matter
Former UFC Lightweight Champion and Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz was Cyborg’s manager and had maintained a business relationship with her until 2014.
This is what the former current Bellator FC fighter had to say recently:
"I told her to take the fight," Ortiz explained. "She said, ‘Tito, I’ve been working really, really hard for the last three years.
I’ve been cutting a lot of weight. I want to enjoy Christmas time. I want to go on vacation,’ and I understood that. Personally, I understood that," said Ortiz.
But the above statements made by Ortiz have been declared to be false by Cyborg’s representatives.
Ortiz had advised Cyborg to take up the fight despite suffering from weight cuts. The former Invicta FC champion, however, still feels that she is the real champion.
What next?
Things have not been going smoothly between Cyborg and the UFC but that doesn’t mean that Cyborg is anywhere close to leaving the company. Cyborg had previously promised to become the champion once again.
Also read: MMA News: Tito Ortiz vs Chael Sonnen at Bellator 170
Dana White had hinted at a fight between Ronda Rousey and Cyborg but after Rousey’s devastating loss at UFC 207, the dream match seems out of question.
Sportskeeda’s Take
We really don’t know whose side of the story speaks the truth. But as soon as Cyborg is healthy and ready to make a comeback she will fight for the divisional crown.
If Holly Holm makes history by becoming the first women two-divisional champion, then a clash between Cyborg and Holm will certainly do wonders for the UFC.
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