Search icon

MMA

05th Aug 2016

Cyborg may not be getting what she really wants from the UFC, but it’s a pretty close second

Hell of an honour

Ben Kiely

It took Conor McGregor until his third UFC fight to headline a card in his home country, Cyborg’s going to achieve the same feat in her second outing in the Octagon.

There was a lot of hype when it was announced that Cristiane Justino would be singing for the UFC, and boy did the Invicta featherweight champion deliver in her promotional debut by knocking out Leslie Smith inside one round at UFC 198.

Despite being arguably the pound-for-pound greatest female fighter in the history of the sport, Cyborg doesn’t really have a home in the UFC, since the promotion doesn’t have a female featherweight division.

The fight against Smith was a 140 lb catchweight contest. Shortly after the bout, the Brazilian phenom began campaigning for the promotion to build a new weight class around her, so that she wouldn’t be reduced to prize exhibition fights that have zero title implications.

Although the big wigs haven’t granted her request, we’re sure Cyborg will be absolutely thrilled with her next task inside the Octagon.

Cyborg ko

In just her second fight for the UFC, Cyborg (16-1) will headline UFC Fight 95 against promotional newcomer Lina Lansberg (6-1) on September 24 in Brasilia, Brazil. It will be only the second UFC event to be held in the Brazilian capital since UFC Fight Night 51 in 2014 which saw Andrei Arlovski knock out Bigfoot Silva in the main event.

Cyborg has not lost since 2005 and is riding a terrifying 11-fight knockout streak, while Lnasberg has racked up six straight wins since losing her professional debut, four of those coming inside the distance.

A featherweight clash between former bantamweight champion Renan Barao and Phillipe Nover will serve as the co-main event while the card will also feature Francisco Trinaldo v Paul Felder, Gilbert Burns v Michel Prazeres, Erick Silva v Brandon Thatch and several more intriguing bouts that we sincerely hope won’t be ruined by the injury curse (touch wood).

Dublin v Donegal and Mayo v Tyrone previewed in the GAA Hour. Subscribe here on iTunes.