Dana White on 'Cyborg' Justino: 'I just don’t want to hear your bullsh-t' if I sign her

UFC President Dana White is apparently willing to sign Cristiane Justino. However, if he does ink “Cyborg” to a deal, he wants you to shut your damn pie-holes.

Following UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey‘s (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) 16-second demolition of challenger Alexis Davis (16-6 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 175 pay-per-view co-headliner, the UFC boss fielded questions about potential next challengers.

Of course, you can’t broach that topic without eventually turning the conversation to “Cyborg,” a reigning Invicta FC champion and former Strikeforce titleholder who’s terrorized the women’s featherweight division.

“I just don’t want to hear your bullsh-t if I do (sign her) because this sh-t is going to flip as soon as I sign her – about drug testing and all the other bullsh-t,” White said. “It’ll be the biggest f-cking topic. It’ll be the biggest f-cking story for you to write. Oh my f-cking God. The script will flip immediately.”

Justino (12-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), of course, was stripped of her Strikeforce title in December 2011 after testing positive for a synthetic anabolic steroid. Since returning from her suspension, she’s knocked out Fiona Muxlow and Marloes Coenen in Invicta FC fights, while also dabbling in muay Thai with the Lion Fight promotion.

However, that failed test apparently wasn’t enough to persuade UFC officials to keep Justino out of the UFC when the organization launched its first women’s division in early 2013. According to White, when the UFC purchased and ultimately disbanded Strikeforce, the promotion offered a Rousey-like contract to Justino. In fact, White said, it was an indentical deal.

“Just so you know, when we bought Strikeforce, we offered them the same exact deal that we offered Ronda, and they turned it down,” he said of Justino and her reps. “They turned their deal down when we tried to sign her.

“Listen, there are certain things to do to get out there. If you really want to fight for the UFC and you want to fight for the title, there are ways to get that done. There are ways to do it. It’s not like we never offered ‘Cyborg’ a deal. We offered ‘Cyborg’ a deal, and they turned it down. She got offered the same deal that Ronda got offered, and she turned it down. She was on a medical suspension too, for performance-enhancing drugs.”

“Cyborg” isn’t the only potential signing the UFC could use to bolster its 135-pound women’s division. There’s former pro boxing champion and undefeated MMA fighter Holly Holm (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who seems to be inching closer to a potential UFC deal. The UFC has even flirted with the idea of bringing in former Strikeforce fighter Gina Carano, though such a signing would be driven more by marketability than competition since the fighter-turned-actress hasn’t competed since a loss to “Cyborg” five years ago.

Justino, meanwhile, hasn’t hidden her desire to fight in the UFC, even if it means a grueling cut from 145 pounds to 135. On paper, she’s arguably the most compelling matchup for the dominant Rousey. White, though, suggested that reality is a whole different matter. Justino’s skills are evident, but when it comes to fighting on MMA’s biggest stage and dealing with the pressure, White believes his champ remains in a different class.

“You sit there and you listen to (Rousey) talk and the sh-t she says and the things she’s willing to do, that she’s willing to fight back-to-back and all this,” White said. “Her and ‘Cyborg’ aren’t on the same level mentally, as athletes or any other thing.

“I know it sounds fun. I don’t want to go out and say a bunch of mean sh-t about ‘Cyborg,’ but you guys know. I don’t have to preach to guy guys. You guys are smart people.”

For complete coverage of UFC 175, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

(Pictured: Cristiane Justino)

* * * *

Check out MMAjunkie reporter John Morgan’s instant analysis of UFC 175:

view original article >>