Dana White says Cris Cyborg is ‘afraid to lose’

UFC president Dana White wants to book the Amanda Nunes vs. Cris Cyborg rematch. He says it’s a fight that the champ Nunes wants, and he says it’s the fight the UFC wants to make. But White is adamant that Cyborg does not want the fight.

White told TMZ Sports that Nunes told him she wants to fight Cyborg again, but said Cyborg doesn’t want the matchup, and gave his reason why he believes that’s the case.

“(Nunes) wants the Cyborg fight, but I don’t think Cyborg wants that fight,” White said. “I think it’s pretty obvious why she wouldn’t want that fight. It’s not a good fight for her. It’s a bad fight for her.”

Cyborg and Nunes fought back at UFC 232 this past December. Nunes handed Cyborg her first MMA loss in nearly 15 years when she knocked her out in the first round in spectacular fashion. Nunes won the UFC women’s featherweight title that night.

According to White, he believes that Cyborg is not necessarily afraid of Nunes, but she is afraid with the prospect of being handing another defeat.

“I don’t think she’s afraid. She’s been fighting for a long time,” White said. “But I think that she’s at the point where she’s afraid to lose again. Losing again isn’t something she’s interested in.”

Cyborg takes on Felicia Spencer this coming Saturday night at UFC 240. After the fight is over, her UFC contract runs out and she will become a free agent. The UFC clearly wants to re-up her contract, but only if the matchup with Nunes is the next fight in her new deal.

“Amanda wants it, we want it, but Cyborg doesn’t want it,” White said about a potential rematch.

Do you think that Dana White can get Cris Cyborg to agree to a rematch against Amanda Nunes?