Cris Cyborg never going to 135 open to catchweight

Ronda Rousey became the best known fighter in the UFC, and was seemingly unstoppable, crushing her opposition in seconds. For years the hardcore fanbase called for a fight with the sole woman who appeared capable of beating her – Cris Cyborg. The UFC signed Cyborg, who continued to fight for Invicta FC, where she holds the featherweight championship (and defends it tonight on UFC FIght Pass.)

Cyborg was supposed to fight Cindy Dandois tonight, at a 140 pound catchweight, with an eye towards a drop to 135 and a title fight with Rousey. However, Rousey was stopped at 135 by new bantamweight champion Holly Holm. And the UFC banned the use of IVs to rehydrate. And awareness of the downside of extreme weight cutting is becoming ever more apparent – for one thing, you simply don’t fight as well. For another, it can kill you.

So Cris Cyborg has ruled out ever dropping to 135.

“No more 135,” said Cyborg to Marc Raimondi  for MMAFighting.com. “Superfight? Yeah. I think that’s fair. Somebody can go up a little bit, I’ll go down a little bit.”

“I’d make a superfight at 140. I’m the world champ at 145. Why do I have to go down a division? Of course I want to make the fights nice for the fans, but I don’t want to do something to make my life terrible.”

In marked contrast to Rousey, Holm has expressed willingness to fighting Cyborg at a catchweight or even 145 . However, Cyborg said the UFC was not interested in using her unless she can make 135. The UFC had no female division above 135,

i”She’s the champ and if she says she wants fight me, then we can fight,” said Cybor. “I think it’s good for women’s MMA if we can fight. She knows I cannot go to 135, it’s too hard.”

“OK, I can go and step [on the scale] and I’m 135, but probably in another day I’d be trash, no good. I don’t think people want to see a fight like this.”

“I love to fight, but it’s not just about the fight. You have to be healthy.”

Cris Cyborg fights Daria Ibragimova, tonight, live on UFC Fight Pass.