Cris Cyborg Continues To Call Out Holly Holm

Leading into UFC 214, Cris Cyborg already had her next fight in mind and coming out of the event, she still wants to fight former UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holm.

After scoring a third round TKO victory of former Invicta bantamweight titleholder Tonya Evinger on the main card of 214 to win the promotion’s featherweight title on Saturday night, the newly crowned champion told FOX Sports 1 that Holm made the most sense in terms of her next assignment.

“My next move, I’d like a fight with Holly Holm,” said Cyborg (transcript courtesy of MMA Fighting). “I think she is a great fighter and she is a bigger girl, just like me. She’s (fought) already at 145. I think it’s a fight that all fans are going to like because she is a striker. Let’s do that, maybe next year, I don’t know.”

During the UFC 214 post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White claimed that Holm was “interested” in a showdown with Cyborg.

“I was just talking to Holly Holm back there…and it seems like she’s interested,” said White. “I like Holly versus Cyborg. I think it’s a good fight.”

Although there are not many fighters in the women’s featherweight division, Cyborg believes that the weight class will go the same way that the bantamweights evolved during Ronda Rousey’s reign as champion.

“It was the same with 135 pounds, (UFC) started with Ronda and then they started building it a little bit and a little bit (more). Now they’ve made it a division. I think with 145 it will be the same,” Cyborg said at the event’s post-fight press conference.

“I’m happy to be a part of this. I’m happy to fight anyone that the UFC put in front of me. I am going to keep training, keep ready. I’ll keep training, keep on beating the number one contender and always training to keep the belt.”

If you recall, Megan Anderson was supposed to be Cyborg’s opponent at the event, but that bout was scrapped due to the former Invicta featherweight champion having to withdraw from the bout because of personal reasons.

Cyborg stated that she would be open to fighting Anderson in Australia next year.

“I don’t know about Megan,” she said. “I accepted a fight with her. I don’t know if she cannot fight in the USA, maybe I can go to Australia and fight with her. I want to fight. I don’t know who it’s going to be (next). I never choose my opponents. I just wait to see who UFC is going to put next.”