Cris Cyborg campaigns for UFC 198 fight, rips ‘coward’ Ronda Rousey

Curitiba-native Cris Cyborg wants to fight at UFC’s first trip to her homeland.

Scheduled for the 42,000-seat Atletico Paranaense soccer stadium on May 14, UFC 198 will be headlined by Fabricio Werdum vs. Stipe Miocic, and the Invicta FC featherweight champion is campaigning for a spot on the card.

"I’m training, waiting for a new challenge," Cyborg told MMAFighting.com via text message," and I would like to thank to everyone who is in this campaign with me #CyborgNoUFCBrasil."

Cyborg (15-1, 1 NC) last fought on Jan. 16, scoring her fifth straight knockout finish under the Invicta FC banner with a first-round win over Daria Ibragimova to defend her 145-pound title. Undefeated for almost 11 years, the Brazilian striker has cancelled her plans of cutting extra 10 pounds to compete at bantamweight, and is open to a featherweight or catchweight fight on May 14.

"Many people ask me who I would like to fight, but the truth is I don’t choose opponents," she said. "They ask how about Ronda Rousey. Fighting Ronda is something that should happen, for the years of trash talk from her. At first I thought this fight would never happen because the UFC was protecting her, but the reality is, after Holly Holm beat her up, she ran away from the rematch, saying she wants to have kids and all that. That confirmed to me what I already knew: she’s a coward with a weak mind that never learned after all these years… In her book, she talks about her being depressed after her Olympic loss, she continues as mature as a 5-year-old, she hasn’t learned the philosophy of the sport.

"After Miesha’s win over Holly Holm, Ronda texted Dana saying ‘I want to come back to work’. Ronda Rousey is just an American product, who only fights those she thinks she can win. A true champion is the one who won’t admit a loss, but not saying she’s still undefeated even losing a fight, but going back inside the Octagon and accepting a rematch. Miesha Tate is a great example. She lost two title fights and the belt, but due to her determination she overcame and fought for it again, and she’s champion now."

It’s highly unlikely the UFC matches Cyborg against Rousey now, so the Brazilian is open to facing either Tate or Holm.

"Miesha Tate is the new champion and I believe that there a lot of things going on in her career now," Cyborg said, "but I believe she would accept challenges in her career. I would fight her, of course. This is a sport.

"Holly Holm showed the world, alongside with (Conor) McGregor when they lost, that they don’t hide behind pillows, and met their fans at the post-fight party. It’s a sport, losses happens," she continued. "I would fight her, for sure. McGregor was a champion but moved up a division and fought. I believe the true fighter accepts challenges. (But) I’m not agreeing with his style outside the Octagon, with his attitudes and disrespect towards his opponents."