UFC fans have been begging for a fight between Ronda Rousey and Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino for years, but according to former light-heavyweight star Chael Sonnen, the proposed superfight is never going to happen.
As reported by news.com.au, the 38-year-old doesn't understand the excitement surrounding the potential bout, and he's convinced Cyborg would never make the weight class, regardless:
That fight is just a little bit ridiculous, I don’t even think it’s fun to talk about. I could be missing the boat there. I hear people talking about it like they’ve got some excitement but I don’t know where that comes from.
Had they fought years ago back when Cyborg was really into the sport and she was competing at a really high level it still would have lasted about thirty-seconds. I don’t know where it all comes from, she can’t make the weight class, she’s never made the weight class, this is just the reality of that situation — that fight is never going to happen.
The undefeated Rousey is set to defend her bantamweight title against Holly Holm at UFC 195 on January 2, and given her dominance of the women's division in recent years, fans are already looking at what lies ahead for the former Olympian.
Another rematch with Miesha Tate has been mulled as a possibility, but plenty of people would rather see her fight someone new, and Cyborg continues to be mentioned as a possibility. The 30-year-old once ruled Strikeforce with an iron fist, and she has easily handled the competition in Invicta FC upon her return following a ban for doping, via Ken Pishna of MMA Weekly.
Sonnen was once suspended for doping himself, and he believes it's only normal those questions will continue to follow Cyborg wherever she goes:
It’s very fair by Ronda [to accuse Cyborg]. Cyborg tested positive, she can’t get around that. I’ve been in her shoes, I’ve failed those same tests. You’ve gotta understand if you fail one of those tests you are open to that forever.
Forever people can accuse you of that. I don’t think that Cyborg still does it, I think the rules changed and she changed with the rules but she is still subject to that kind of scrutiny, and that’s just a reality.
The biggest issue surrounding a potential bout between Rousey and Cyborg remains at what weight the fight would go down at. Sonnen clearly doesn't believe Cyborg could make a 135-pound limit, something her camp disagrees with, via ESPN.com's Brett Okamoto.
Justino is a natural featherweight, however, and there's reason to believe she would lose much of her fearsome power if she were to drop down to 135. Opinion among fans seems divided, with some suggesting Rousey should prove herself by meeting Cyborg at a higher weight, and others believing the champion shouldn't have to make such a sacrifice.
There's plenty of precedent when it comes to champions moving up in weight class to make a fight happen?think of Anderson Silva, for instance?and from the perspective of entertainment, that's what the fans would want. But it seems highly unlikely Rousey will agree to that, a stance MMA Roasted gladly mocked:
Ronda Rousey said she will only engage in a Twitter War with Cyborg at 135 Characters or less.
— MMA Roasted (@MMARoasted) August 23, 2015
On the other hand, Rousey is the champ at 135, and there's little reason for her to hand the advantage to the challenger just so she can make a fight happen.
Whether this fight will eventually happen or not remains to be seen, but the potential value of a bout between Rousey and Justino is so big, it's hard to imagine the UFC not doing everything possible to make it happen.
