Cris Cyborg fought out her UFC contract, and was in a contractually obligated period, typically lasting 90 days, of exclusive negotiation with the league, which is typically followed by a 90 day period during which the UFC can match any competing offers. Upon her release, Cyborg continued her pointed criticism of the company, citing a series of derogatory remarks by a series of UFC employees and most notably Dana White himself, who had said among other slights that she looked like “Wanderlei Silva in a dress.”
Today the UFC released a video interview during which White announced Cris Cyborg would be released.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSuS9fpc83Y
I don’t know what it is, but bad strategy, said White, as transcribed by Nolan King for MMA Junkie. I don’t hate Cyborg. I’m not trying to destroy Cyborg. All this craziness that she’s talking – do you know how many fighters I’ve dealt with over the years? People I really didn’t like, like Tito [Ortiz]. Tito doesn’t like me, and I don’t like Tito. And we haven’t and we didn’t, but we still got fights done. We still did business.
Look at the Jon Jones stuff that has happened and many, many other things that have happened with different fighters. But we get through it. We figure it out. We get through it and we move on. But this is a completely different animal than anything I’ve ever dealt with before.”
“Message received. I get it. I’m going to release her from her contract. I will not match any offers. She is free and clear to go to Bellator or any of these other organizations and fight these easy fights that she wants. Done. Done deal. I will literally today have my lawyer draft a letter to her team that she is free and clear to go where ever she wants. We’re out of the Cyborg business.
This is a woman that doesn’t want to fight the champion no matter what she says. I am giving up my rights to her contract to matching her contract to anything. I’m giving it up. There you go. You’re not being bullied. Nothing like that. I’m going to let you go. If you don’t want to fight Amanda and you don’t want to be here that bad, then why would I want you here?
They were asking me about Cyborg and I said to the media, ‘Guys did you see her at the MMA Awards? Did you not think she was on steroids?’ She got up to get her award and she walks up the stairs and I was saying that she looked like Wanderlei Silva in a dress. What I meant was, she had the same physique as Wanderlei Silva. Then one month later, Wanderlei Silva evades a drug test and gets a three-year suspension from the sport.
First of all, I never came out and bullied and said anything about Cyborg. I was asked a question about the media. So now for hacks to throw up a 15-second clip of me saying that, it’s completely taken out of context. We talked about this – Cyborg and I – before she came into the UFC. … It is an absolute smokescreen to not face Amanda Nunes.
