‘Cyborg’: ‘Low-Level’ Rousey Is Trying To Pick Her Next Opponent
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey recently blasted Invicta FC featherweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino for using steroids during a media scrum in Rio de Janeiro, noting that Justino will “probably try to dope as long as possible before coming to the UFC.”
She also kept her long-held war of words with “Cyborg” fueled by insulting Justino’s ground game, labeling it horrendous and breaking down her perceived weaknesses. Justino is currently cutting down to bantamweight for her 135-pound debut at Invicta FC 10 in December, something that she hopes will lead to her eventually squaring off with Rousey in the UFC.
But there are several other big names that await Rousey, including former Strikeforce champ Gina Carano (whom Justino took the belt from with a first round TKO back in 2009), former Legacy FC champ Holly Holm, and returning No. 1 contender Cat Zingano.
Justino thinks that Rousey’s words are a diversion of sorts, constructed only to help the champion hand-pick her next opponent. There are holes in Rousey’s story according to “Cyborg,” who spoke up to MMA Fighting in response:
“As always, (Rousey) is trying to pick her next opponent. She is running away from me and asking to fight Bethe (Correia),” she said. “If she was so sure about everything she says, she would have already accepted to fight me like she accepted to fight Gina Carano at any weight, fight Cain Velasquez, (Floyd) Mayweather. Grow up, Ronda.”
“Cyborg” may have a good point, because Rousey has agreed to face Carano at any weight, yet she insists that Justino must come down to bantamweight in order to face her. Justino continued on about Rousey’s perceived disrespect, focusing on her belief that she didn’t put anyone down on her rise to the top:
“What she says means nothing to me. A person is visiting my country and trying to defame me with my fans to get attention shows you how uneducated she is. She’s a low-level person. She feels she has to step on someone in order to rise.”
It’s funny she says I dishonored the sport and my country, but everybody wants to see me fight her. That might frustrate her.
If you think about it, there are only a handful of people that have never fought in the UFC and are known worldwide. I’m proud to know that I never needed an event to promote me, and I never had to lie about anyone. I’m known worldwide for my talent and my team, Chute Boxe.”
Justino is highly critical of the dominant champion, and the two will likely continue their feud until they eventually square off in the Octagon, if ever.
Many believe that Justino is the only true threat to Rousey’s title, and with UFC champions fighting less than they ever have before, the promotion needs Rousey to stay active while simultaneously holding onto the belt in order to keep their cash cow rolling in profits.
It’s tough to argue that this is not the most competitive women’s MMA fight out there, but it may never happen. Hopefully for the fans, “Cyborg” and Rousey will finally throw down and find out just who is the best female fighter in the world.
