Tonya Evinger's reaction to the news regarding the main event at UFC 222 mirrored that of most fans. Cris Cyborg will be defending her title against ... Yana Kunitskaya!?
However, if anyone had a feeling on this particular matchup, it was Evinger. Two of her past three bouts were against Kunitskaya -- a submission win and a no-contest in Invicta -- and her most recent fight was a TKO loss against Cyborg in July. She's the only person to have fought both women.
Evinger couldn't believe this was what the UFC was making for the featherweight title on Saturday night at UFC 222.
"It's all about the money [for Kunitskaya] and trying to get that fight," Evinger said. "I think, at this point, they are just finding opponents to fight Cyborg for a single fight. It's not like they are building the weight class. Anybody who fights her right now is pretty much just looking for that payday."
Cyborg (19-1), ESPN's No. 1 pound-for-pound female fighter, has not lost since her professional debut in 2005. The former world Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion possesses some of the most dangerous hands ever seen in the Octagon. Only six of her 20 fights made it past the second round, most ending in vicious knockouts. Former UFC featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie was stripped of her belt for refusing to face Cyborg.
Evinger, by most accounts, fared well by comparison. She hung on until the third round and showed a lot of toughness against one of the best ever. Evinger -- who believes things would have been different if given a full camp -- came away impressed with Cyborg's overall skill set.
The same can't be said, though, about Kunitskaya (10-3). When asked what stood out in their two previous meetings, she simply responded, "Nothing."
"I definitely think Cyborg is going to take this pretty easy," Evinger said. "It's not even a close fight. Yana isn't close to that level or even prepared. She's just taking it for the money.
"I heard someone try to compare her to Holly Holm because they train together, but big whoop. It's not like over the last six months this girl has gotten so amazing that she is going to go in and win the 145-pound belt. That's ridiculous."
"It's not even a close fight. Yana isn't close to that level or even prepared." Tonya Evinger, the only fighter to have faced both Cris Cyborg and Yana Kunitskaya.
As the only person to face both fighters, nobody has a better perspective on the game plan needed to have their hand raised at the end.
"If I was Cyborg, I would bang this chick out and try to knock her out right away," Evinger said. "Go back to the old style and try to get a bonus and put some scary thoughts out there for the weight class."
As for Kunitskaya?
"Is there one? I don't really see her having any kind of game plan that will beat Cyborg on any level. I don't know what she could do better in that amount of time. Maybe you spend your time running a little bit, but it's not like she's going to take her down or beat her standing up."