‘Cyborg’ Justino ready to fight after knocking out another weight cut
The biggest challenge for Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino is out of the way.
She came in right at the catchweight limit of 141 pounds on Friday for her headlining debut against Lina Lansberg on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 95 card in Brasilia, Brazil.
Now comes the easy part.
Justino is one of the most feared female athletes to ever compete in mixed martial arts and has left a path of destruction.
Lansberg figures to be the next in line of overmatched opponents, though the 12-to-1 underdog believes she can be successful in her UFC debut.
“It feels amazing to fight for the UFC, it is a dream coming true,” she said. “And I have nothing to lose, so it feels perfect. I don’t know how the fight will end, but I really want to fight five rounds, because I prepared myself for that. I just want to do my thing and make it hard for her. I’m excited to fight with the crowd cheering for my opponent, I think it puts a lot of pressure on her.”
The crowd will undoubtedly be behind the Brazilian star as she competes in the UFC for the second time.
She was forced to ply her trade outside the organization for most of the last several years despite the women’s divisions soaring to new heights in the UFC because 135 was the largest weight class.
Justino, who has mostly competed at 145 pounds, has long said there is no way she could cut that much weight.
The standoff was finally resolved when the UFC signed Justino to compete in a special attraction 140-pound catchweight bout in May against Leslie Smith.
Justino did as expected and finished Smith in just 81 seconds.
The knockout win improved her record to 16-0 since losing her professional debut in 2005 with the only blemish coming when a 2011 Strikeforce victory was overturned to a no-contest as a result of a positive steroid test.
She will now look for a second-consecutive UFC catchweight victory when she takes on Lansberg on Saturday.
“My opponent is a striker like me, she likes to fight on her feet, so I believe there is a big chance that the fight will go that way,” Justino said. “I always look for the knockout and this time it won’t be different. I am prepared for anything, one or five rounds.”
It would be surprising if the fight goes anywhere near the distance. Justino has been taken to a decision just twice in her career and has knocked out every opponent since 2008.
“(Justino) has the most vicious ground-and-pound I’ve ever seen from a woman,” UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley said this week on Fox Sports 1. “She’s fighting in Brazil. We’ll see her get going for the crowd. Don’t take that calm for kindness.”
Should Justino get the expected victory, her future will still remain cloudy.
She has now cut down to 140 pounds twice, but insists there is no way she can make 135. Even the cut to 140 was full of drama as it came down to the wire on whether she could make it.
A video surfaced this week of Justino and her camp in a disagreement about the procedures they were employing to get her to the scales on weight.
So until a 145-pound division is added, Justino is left to take showcase fights with whoever the UFC can bring in or hope one of the 135-pound stars decides to come up to challenge her.
Justino appears to be enjoying every opportunity she gets to step in the cage.
“I am very happy to have the opportunity to fight again here in Brazil, especially as a main event,” she said.
The bout will headline a main card at 7 p.m. on Fox Sports 1 that also features a featherweight bout between Phillipe Nover and former bantamweight champion Renan Barao.
Also on the card, Las Vegan Roy Nelson will fight heavyweight Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.
Four fights from the preliminary card will air at 5 p.m., with the remaining fights streaming live on Fight Pass at 3:30 p.m.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj
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