Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg Says She Would Rather Fight Ronday Rousey In WWE Ring

Reigning featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino has said she is willing to fight Ronda Rousey, but in a wrestling ring as opposed to a UFC octagon.

Cris Cyborg on fight vs. Ronda Rousey News

“If Ronda is wanting to make the fight for the fans, I would still be willing to give them it,” Justino said on her website Tuesday. “But I think it would be better to take place inside the WWE ring. For her it gets her one step closer to Hollywood and for me it would be another exciting challenge and a chance to test my athletic ability.”

Justino, 32, also suggested 30-year-old Rousey would be better paired against another UFC star, who is ow a mixed martial arts pundit.

“If Ronda wants to come back for a fight,” Cyborg said, according to MMAFighting.com’s Guilherme Cruz, “I believe it’s better for her to fight Miesha Tate. I’m in another stage of my career. I wanted to fight Ronda when she was psychologically well and confident.”

Rousey’s trainer, Edmond Tarverdyan, told The MMA Hour on Monday that he would like Rousey to compete again in the UFC against the Brazilian Justino. However, Taverdyan added that he believes his mentee’s chances of an MMA return are 50-50.

Jutino’s first title defense could be against Holly Holm, who famously defeated the previously undefeated Rousey — who had been 12-0 up until then — at UFC 193 in November 2015. However, nothing has been confirmed outside of a December target date, according to MSN.com. Rousey also lost to Amanda Nunes in December 2016.

Justino (18-1) has become a dominant fighter in UFC. She is coming off a TKO victory against Tonya Evinger at UFC 214 and boasts 16 knockouts.

“When I wanted to fight her it was because she was at the top of her game and she had all of the confidence in the world,” Justino said of Rousey via her website. “She had not been KO’d twice in a row and some people were actually saying she could beat Floyd Mayweather in a fight.”

“I wanted the challenge so bad I almost killed myself trying to make the lowest weight possible just to give this fight to the fans, and she made every excuse for it not to happen.”

Both of us are now at different chapters in our careers and for me that chapter is finished.”

ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 29: Cris Cyborg of Brazil reacts to defeating Tonya Evinger during their Featherweight Title fight at UFC 214 at Honda Center on July 29, 2017 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)