Opinion: Apply the Ronda Rousey Rule to Cyborg

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media. The long awaited arrival of Cris Cyborg in the Ultimate Fighting Championship finally took place at UFC 198 and was every ounce of brilliant destruction we expected it to be. Now what? It’s evident that Cyborg is almost physically unable to make 135 and still be able to compete. She looked like a skeleton at the UFC 198 weigh ins and hit the scale at 139 pounds for a 140 pound catchweight bout. Those a little more ignorant to weight cutting will say: “it’s only four pounds!” But those four pounds are potentially a health risk, especially when you consider that there has been much conversation about ending drastic weight cutting for the sake of a fighter’s health. It’s clear that having Cyborg in the UFC would be big for the company. She’s a menacing wrecking ball of talent in women’s mixed martial arts where knockout finishes aren’t the norm. Consider the following: she has 14 knockouts in her MMA career. That’s more than Holly Holm (7), Miesha Tate (3) and Ronda Rousey (3)…combined. Of those 14 knockouts, nine have come in the first round. That’s a level of excitement that has certainly been missing. But, of course, the problem is what the hell will the UFC do with Cyborg? If she can’t make 135, will she just fight in relatively meaningless catchweight bouts while periodically heading back to Invicta to defend her featherweight …

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