Strikeforce women’s featherweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos has put her contract issues behind her, and now she’s looking forward to getting back to work.
We spoke to Santos this past weekend in Cincinnati. She attended the event to corner her husband, who lost to Jordan Mein in the third round of their preliminary bout.
“I’m very happy to be back and to be resigned with Strikeforce for the next four fights. I’m going to really try to make a strong impression for women’s MMA with both Strikeforce and the UFC.
“I really just want to be able to put in good work. I was more sad than anything with the time that I wasn’t able to get in the cage and work. I also want to stay active, consistent and keeping moving forward with my skills.”
With Santos was on the shelf with contract issues, women’s MMA attempted to carry on without her. Fighters like Meisha Tate and Marloes Coenen led the charge, and while she couldn’t participate, Santos was pleased with the progress made in her absence.
“Women’s MMA is definitely growing. Before, it was one dominant discipline handling another discipline, and that was the fight. You would see a wrestler handling a striker or striker vs. jiu-jitsu. But now women are showing more variety and multiple disciplines in their fights. This is beginning to show through, and I think it is exciting for our sport.”
Following her win over Amanda Nunes on Saturday night, Alexis Davis told HeavyMMA that she would be willing to jump up a weight class to fight Cyborg. It’s a bout Santos says she would be ready and willing to accept. Then again, it seems she’s willing and ready to accept anybody Zuffa puts in front of her at this point.
“Unfortunately in this game I’ve never had the opportunity to pick my opponents and I don’t plan on starting now. I’m going to keep working and training and whoever Strikeforce puts in front of me is who I will step up and fight. I’m hoping to return in December at the next big Strikeforce show but we will see.”
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