Best female fighter of the world, Cris Cyborg doesn’t step inside Strikeforce’s cage for a while. The waiting period, however, comes to an end on December 17th, when she fights Hiroko Yamanaka.
On an exclusive interview to TATAME, Cris talked about her evolution on the ground game, the trainings on the United States and, among other issues, about her future in Strikeforce, event on which he still has another four bouts to do, according to the contract. “I guess they’re keeping the girls, and it depends on what we do to call UFC’s attention”.
On the interview, Cris talked about the dream of having her fight broadcasted by TV Globo, with Galvao Bueno narrating it, and revealed that Strikeforce might terminates her division, forcing her to drop to a lighter weight class. “it’ll be hard because I got a lot of weight to lose, but it’d be good because I could fight more”, explains.
You’re fighting on December. What are the expectations?
Actually I’m training a lot. I wasn’t fighting, but I never stopped training with Andre Galvao, improving more and more my Jiu-Jitsu. This was a year I trained a lot and got a lot better, and I hope I do a good fight in December.
How are the trainings here in San Diego?
Well, here with Galvao I train Grappling, Jiu-Jitsu, a little Wrestling. Then I train at Arena Gym, where I also give classes too, train with Cyborg and there’s where I have my Boxing coach, Cosmo and Ernesto. I work my cardio with Gustavo, who’s a novice from Alejarra.
You were commenting you got a new four-bout contract with Strikeforce. What are your expectations?
I signed the contract for these four fights after UFC purchased Striekforce, so I guess they’ll keep us, they’ll keep the female divisions and female MMA keeps growing and growing, and I guess they’re keeping the girls, and it depends on what we do to call UFC’s atention.
There two divisions and they want to unify it to a single female division. In that case you’d have to lose a lot of weight. How do you see it?
Actually there’re still two weight divisions: 135lbs and 145lbs. It’s already hard for me to drop to 145lbs, I gotta work a lot and they’re thinking about one division only, they asked me if I could do it. I can try, it’s not impossible. Let’s see… I guess that, in the future, there’ll be some news.
It’d be good for you to have more opponents to fight against, right?
It’ll be hard because I got a lot of weight to lose, but it’d be good because I could fight more. I guess it’s important to keep active, it’s my job, so I’ll try it to stay here.
How do you see the growth of the sport? Dos Santos was broadcasted by FOX and, in Brazil, on TV Globo, with Galvao Bueno as its leader.
I watched it on Globo, actually, just to feel the thrill. I guess it was great. I also dream about being broadcasted by them, representing Brazil. It was a great fight, and the fact Junior won will open many doors in Brazil. The guys could see it’s a sport, we’re all professionals and I’m really glad about it. I guess it’ll help a lot the sport.
UFC could match a female fight in Brazil for you to fight at home, right?
It’s a good idea, let’s see. It’d be like a dream come true.
Good luck on your next fight.
Thanks’ for the opportunity to talk to you, I’d like to thank all my fans that, even after a year and a half without fighting, they always keep sending me messages on Twitter and on Facebook. I wanna say I’ll be in Brazil on January and I want to minister a seminar, see the guys there. I’ll give you a great show in December.
By Eduardo Ferreira
Photo Danny Lee
http://www.tatame.com/2011/11/21/Cyborg-reveals-Strikeforce-might-extinguish-Womens-145lbs-division–They-asked-me-if-I-can-drop-to-135