Ever since Germaine de Randamie raised her women’s featherweight title in Brooklyn back at UFC 208, there has been neither hide nor hair of the new champion.
Ever since she returned to Holland, the UFC’s first ever women’s champion at 145-pounds has been providing radio silence, even in the wake of several inquiries. With the division essentially on enforced hiatus until it’s known what is happening with the champion, there has been utter confusion at the future of the UFC’s latest weight class.
Now, while it’s not exactly from the woman herself, we have heard from de Randamie.
“Germaine and her team have talked, and the position is that she will not fight Cyborg because Cyborg is a known and proven cheater,” Butler said, speaking with MMAFighting. “Even after so much scrutiny has been put on Cyborg, she still managed to pop for something and will always be a person of suspicion who is trying to beat the system rather than just conforming to the rules.
“For that reason, Germaine and her team don’t believe that Cyborg should be allowed to compete in the UFC at all. If that is the only fight the UFC wants, then Germaine is willing to wait and see if the UFC will strip her belt before making her next move.”
De Randamie is not the first to hold Cyborg’s past against her.
The Brazilian failed a drugs test in 2011 for stanozolol — a steroid that is known for promoting muscle growth. Then fighting for MMA promotion Strikeforce, Cyborg has since seen the failure brought against her repeatedly. Ronda Rousey, for instance, would frequently respond to calls for a super fight between the two with demands for Cyborg to drop to 135-pounds.
“She can fight at 145 pumped full of steroids and she can make weight [at 135-pounds] without them,” the former bantamweight was often quoted as saying.
It’s a new twist in the tale for the UFC. Cyborg has been actively campaigning for a fight at UFC 214, which takes place on July 29, 2017, and reports state that the promotion has been looking into a possible fight between her and Cat Zingano.
With de Randamie’s new stance, it seems that fight could now be made into a title fight — or perhaps the UFC could be tempted to scrap the entire women’s featherweight division altogether.
Upon hearing the news, Cyborg went on quite the Twitter rant, accusing de Randamie of being scared, and calling for the UFC to sign Invicta featherweight champion Megan Anderson.
Who’s @IronLadyMMA? She was #10 at BW and only did 200k PPV barely beating the 0-3 Holly Holm. @MeganA_mma is twice as popular. https://t.co/fPrG9IiYWc
— #UFC214 #LetsGoChamp (@criscyborg) May 26, 2017
I’m world champ. @IronLadyMMA is @ufc champ. That sounds like @danawhite @seanshelby problem. Not mine. #ufc214 #letsgochamp
— #UFC214 #LetsGoChamp (@criscyborg) May 26, 2017
The fact @IronLadyMMA knows she cant wrestle and I won’t let her hit me after the bell is the real reason she won’t fight #ufc214
— #UFC214 #LetsGoChamp (@criscyborg) May 26, 2017
The toughest opponent @IronLadyMMA will ever fight is her mind. Unfortunately that’s a battle she will have to overcome b4 being world champ
— #UFC214 #LetsGoChamp (@criscyborg) May 26, 2017
Some people are so afraid to lose that they will find every excuse not to try. @IronLadyMMA you can’t doubt yourself champs are confident
— #UFC214 #LetsGoChamp (@criscyborg) May 26, 2017
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