Cyborg: UFC Protects Ronda Rousey From Fighting Me
Invicta FC featherweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino is set to fight Daria Ibragimova in the main event of Invicta FC 15. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Justino said that the reason she has not fought former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey yet is because Rousey is protected by the UFC.
“My fight with Ronda hadn’t happened because she didn’t want that fight. I believe she was being protected. I think if you’re the champion, you should be ready for any situation. When you clean out your weight class, it’s normal to move up and challenge that champion.”
However, Justino did give current UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm credit for moving up in weight and challenging for the title.
“Holly has done that, so she knows how the fight world works.”
Originally, Justino was going to fight at 140lbs in an attempt to make it to 135lbs for a possible fight with Rousey. That all changed after UFC 193.
Justino claims that she knew Holm would defeat Rousey at UFC 193 back in November because Rousey has never fought someone like Holm before and was not used to taking a punch that Holm can throw.
“I pretty much knew what would happen to Ronda,” Justino said to MMA Junkie.com. “Ronda had several tough opponents, but never someone on Holly Holm’s level. People who understand fighting knew that Ronda wasn’t used to taking a punch. Also, the media manipulated people into thinking she was the best in the world.
Invicta FC 15 takes place from The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa on Saturday, Jan. 16. The event will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 9 p.m. ET.
