Cris Cyborg defeats the game Holly Holm
You knew when these two ladies, Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino and Holly Holm fought for the UFC Featherweight Title, it was going to be a classic and it was that and more.
In their pay-per-view main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, December 30, 2017, amongst all the excitement surrounding College Football Bowl, Holly Holm (11-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) came up short of becoming the first female in UFC history to win titles in two weight classes when she dropped a clear-cut unanimous decision to the very best Female Mixed Martial Artist of our day, 32-year-old Cristiane Cyborg Justino (19-1, 16 KOs MMA, 4-0 UFC).
The photos don’t lie. Cris Cyborg may have been on the receiving end of some really hard shots but the majority of the punches and kicks were landing on Holly Holm’s face.
Now that we’ve shown our true colors, extreme admiration of Cris Cyborg Justino, you would think this would be a good time to drag out all those great photos we have of our heroine. Well, you’re right.
Chris Cyborg underwent another grueling experience of losing the necessary weight to get down to the 145 pound catchweight. What’s so amazing about Cyborg’s career is the fact she hasn’t lost an MMA match since her very first, 12 years, 7 months and 13 days ago against this lady Erica Paes.
With Cris Cyborg, a resident of Huntington Beach, Calif. by way of Pacific Beach, San Diego, Calif. by way of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil and her former husband, Evangelista Cyborg Santos being one-time instructors at the largest combined MMA & Boxing gym in San Diego County, you can imagine how many locals were all smiles after her latest victory on the World Stage.
MMA Ring announcer/color commentator Carlos Kremer’s pre-fight message to Cris Cyborg on Facebook:“Brave Combat Federation wants to give our best wishes for the continued success of our dear friend The Champ Cris Cyborg on her fight tonight against Holly Holm. Four plus years ago, long before your time in the UFC, I interviewed you in-studio and called you “The Baddest Woman on the Planet”. It’s frightening to think that since then, you’ve improved so dramatically in every aspect of your game while working with the greats like @cobrinhacharles, @galvaobjj, @gabigarciaoficial, @titoortiz1999 and more. As the most Fierce Women Fighter in the sport, you have worked so hard to perfect your craft and I never doubted that you would be the champion. No one has worked harder. Friends, enjoy the show tonight. Cris hasn’t lost an MMA fight for 12 years and she’s only just begun her reign of terror. I think Cyborg takes it by submission in the late second or third round. Who do you like to win tonight in the Main Event?”
SportofBoxing’s reply: “Like you, we have always been a big fan of this young lady and know first hand she is beautiful inside and out. Cris Cyborg’s phenomenal accomplishments and yet struggles to make ends meet remind us of tennis star Billy Jean King and her fellow crusaders. The former World No. 1 professional tennis player, who like Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm, Rhonda Rousey, and Gina Carano ultimately had to make a stand and put everything they had on the line against her miserly male counterparts who ran the organization. On September 20, 1973, King faced off against Bobby Riggs in an exhibition match dubbed the “Battle of the Sexes.” At that time, the tightwads, male chauvinist pigs were Jack Kramer and Bobby Riggs. King ultimately won 39 Grand Slam titles: 12 in singles, 16 in women’s doubles, and 11 in mixed doubles and also won a record 20 championship titles at Wimbledon and yet she was paid a pittance of what the men received. By defeating Bobby Riggs, that all changed.
Carlos Kremer: “Agreed. It’s really fascinating to watch history unfold and see these pioneers get their due and erase doubt. This was surely another historic women’s Main Event.”
(bottom right) While training at The Arena in Point Loma, Cris Cyborg would often train with fellow MMA standout K. J. Noons who is well remembered for his all-out battles with fellow Strikeforce and UFC welterweight Nick Diaz.
Unpretentious, Cris Cyborg went to World Champion Boxers, Claressa Shields (top) and Cecilla Braekhus (bottom), to ask for their help with her boxing skills.
In 2014, Miesha Tate, Holly Holm, and Cris Cyborg took part in the filming of a movie called ‘Fight Valley’ shot in Philadelphia. The actresses shared all kinds of set photos and behind the scene stuff. You would have thought this situation would be awkward, but it was reported that everyone got along just fine.
