White is backing away from comments made by Cristiane "Cyborg" Venancio that a rematch with Amanda Nunes will never happen unless she signs a new contract with the UFC. White counter-punched stating that Santos wanted to leave the UFC for "easier fights."
There is a reason Cyborg only has two losses on her record...the woman has made a living off quick pay days since 2005.
Cyborg, 34, won her fight at UFC 240 yesterday evening, her first since being defeated by Amanda Nunes for the UFC Women's Featherweight Championship at UFC 232 in December. It was the first knockout loss of Cyborg's career, making Nunes the first two-division female champion in promotion history.
Cyborg has made a career out of violent endings to up-and-coming talent, while ducking most challenges thrown her way the entire time. She refused to drop down to 135 pounds to face Ronda Rousey in the superfight everyone wanted. Cyborg has also tested positive for performance enhancing drugs twice in her career.
The name "Cyborg" is quickly fading, venturing very closely to the "Fedor" brand everyone used to fear about five years ago.
White could not me more correct in his assumption. It is about time he takes some level of a stance against one of his premier fighters making outlandish comments. We have seen him cave to the likes of Jones and McGregor, despite the legal troubles of both men. Cyborg has a similar aura, but for completely different reasons. When White books Cyborg on a card, the buy rate is usually driven up to see how bad the damage to her opponent will be.
Then came the Amanda Nunes fight. This was the fight going in you knew had a very distinct chance of ending the dominance of Cyborg. No one could have predicted a 51-second knockout win for Nunes, but there were many who expected the outcome to be in her favor.
Nunes is three years younger and dominated in the UFC for much longer. Nunes has gone through Rousey, Holm, Shevchenko (twice) and Tate. Her last six fights have been title bouts, having gone to the championship rounds twice.
Cyborg wants a rematch with Nunes about as much as Rousey wants a rematch with Nunes. She can still make and draw money, but the UFC has to realize a knockout loss that quick when you've been dominant for so long is more of a death nail than a setback.
No one more than me would like to see Nunes close Cyborg's jaw as a mixed martial artist for good. However, Cyborg has to talk herself up as well as she can. She was a former world champion in every promotion she was signed to. There is something that can be drawn up as being on the comeback trail, or going elsewhere to win another title.
Bellator is the VH1 of the MMA world, but Scott Coker will do anything to make a buck. Even if it means overpaying Cyborg to give her a quick title fight, she will be holding a title again soon.
She is the MMA queen of PED violations and ducking fights, you know.
Cyborg might just be better off changing her last name to Silva, and pretend not to speak english like Anderson did in the leadup to his fight with Chael Sonnen. Sonnen is another guy who talked a lot and never backed up his promises.
White said to the media after the show last night Cyborg could do a one-fight deal to face Nunes. He has no idea that it would be the last meaningful fight of Cyborg's career if it does happen.
-JC24