UFC champion Cris Cyborg wants Holly Holm next

Cris Cyborg immediately set her sights on former UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holm after securing the promotion’s featherweight title at UFC 214 in Anaheim, Calif. on Saturday night.

Following her third round TKO of former Invicta bantamweight titleholder Tonya Evinger, the newly crowned champion told FOX Sports 1 that Holm made the most sense in terms of her next assignment.

“My next move, I’d like a fight with Holly Holm,” said Cyborg. “I think she is a great fighter and she is a bigger girl, just like me. She’s (fought) already at 145.

“I think it's a fight that all fans are going to like because she is a striker. Let’s do that, maybe next year, I don’t know.”

Speaking at the event’s post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White claimed that Holm was “interested” in a showdown with the Brazilian knockout artist.

“I was just talking to Holly Holm back there…and it seems like she’s interested,” said White. “I like Holly versus Cyborg. I think it’s a good fight.”

Although the women’s featherweight division is still in its fledgling stages, Cyborg believes that the weight class will go the same way that the bantamweights evolved under Ronda Rousey’s championship reign.

“It was the same with 135 pounds, (UFC) started with Ronda and then they started building it a little bit and a little bit (more). Now they’ve made it a division. I think with 145 it will be the same,” Cyborg said at the event’s post-fight press conference.

“I’m happy to be a part of this. I’m happy to fight anyone that the UFC put in front of me. I am going to keep training, keep ready. I’ll keep training, keep on beating the number one contender and always training to keep the belt.”

Megan Anderson was supposed to be Cyborg’s opponent on the night, but the former Invicta featherweight champion had to withdraw from the bout in late June due to personal reasons.

Speaking after her win over Evinger, Cyborg stated that she would be open to fighting Anderson in Australia next year.

“I don’t know about Megan,” she said. “I accepted a fight with her. I don’t know if she cannot fight in the USA, maybe I can go to Australia and fight with her. I want to fight. I don’t know who it’s going to be (next).

“I never choose my opponents. I just wait to see who UFC is going to put next.”