Ronda Rousey to Fight “Cyborg” Next If She Defeats Amanda Nunes in Comeback Fight
After weeks of rumors, it’s official. Ronda Rousey will return to action in the main event UFC 207, this December 30 in Las Vegas, Nevada. She’ll make her long-awaited return against Brazil’s Amanda Nunes, who won the UFC women’s bantamweight crown by submitting Miesha Tate at UFC 200.
UFC President Dana White announced this long discussed bout on The Herd with Colin Cowherd.
Obviously, this is fantastic news for Rousey fans. Though her making a successful return against an animal like Nunes is far from a foregone conclusion, the important thing is that she is back. There was, after all, widespread speculation that the former champ would never step foot in the cage again.
The exciting news doesn’t end with the announcement of Rousey vs. Nunes, however. In the moments after he made this announcement, UFC President Dana White also confirmed that if Rousey defeats Nunes, her next fight will be with reigning Invicta featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino.
Dana White says if Ronda Rousey beats Amanda Nunes for the belt then the Cris Cyborg fight will definitely happen.
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) October 12, 2016
Cyborg has been on a tear for more than a decade, knocking heads into the stratosphere under the Strikeforce and Invicta banners. More recently, she’s competed in a pair of bouts inside the UFC’s Octagon.
The first of these bouts occured in May, when she mauled a game Leslie Smith to a first round TKO. The second occured in September, when she savaged fellow striker Lina Lansberg to a similarly abrupt end. Both of these fights occured at a catchweight of 140 pounds – a weight that Cyborg has incredible difficulty getting down to.
Given that Cyborg can barely get down to 140, her getting down to Rousey’s 135-pound home is out of the question. Any potential showdown between the WMMA superstars, then, will have to occur at 140 or higher.
At the moment, it is unknown when or where this potential super fight would occur. Of course, it all depends on how Rousey looks in her December return. If she comes up short against Nunes, a fight with Cyborg may never materialize.
Who do you think wins a potential showdown between Rousey and Cyborg? Sound off, PENN nation!
