One of the biggest names in the history of women's mixed martial arts is making a move.
Bellator announced Tuesday that it had signed Cris "Cyborg" Justino to a multi-year, multi-fight deal. Cyborg was done with the UFC after finishing her contract at UFC 240 with a fight against Felicia Spencer in July. She was just about officially done after a rocky, three-year run with the promotion when UFC president Dana White said he was "out of the Cyborg business" a few days later.
It never really worked between the UFC and Cyborg. There were hard feelings between Cyborg and White going back to before Cyborg was even under contract with the UFC. So, as expected, she has moved on and Bellator (and her former promoter Scott Coker) is the destination.
What will the future bring? How much does Cyborg have left in the gas tank following her knockout loss to Amanda Nunes in December? What does this mean for the UFC's already thin women's featherweight division?
We answer those questions and more below.
Who will Cyborg fight?
The clear choice at the outset is Bellator women's featherweight champion Julia Budd. That's really the only choice given Cyborg's stature as one of the best women's fighters on the planet. Budd has won 11 straight fights and is a worthy opponent for Cyborg, who is still fearsome. No one else on Bellator's roster would have nearly as much cache for a Cyborg debut fight as Budd, who has finished three out of her past four opponents and has a nice striking background.
If Cyborg does get by Budd (and that is no given), it gets much tougher to find a suitable foe. In Bellator's media release announcing Cyborg's signing, the promotion mentioned names such as Olga Rubin, Arlene Blencowe, Janay Harding and Leslie Smith as members of its women's featherweight division. That is slightly more robust than what the UFC has right now at 145 pounds, but not by a wide margin. Cyborg would be a massive favorite against all of them. Bellator president Scott Coker said his team is "absolutely" interested in signing free-agent Cat Zingano, so that could also be a future fight for Cyborg if a deal gets done.
Why did Bellator sign her?
Cyborg is arguably the best women's fighter of all time and that fact was not at all arguable before she was knocked out by Nunes at UFC 232 in December. Cyborg remains an excellent fighter at age 34 and carries a big name. She's a clear headliner on Bellator's Paramount Network and DAZN platforms. Outside of Chael Sonnen, Cyborg might be the biggest name Bellator has signed from the UFC, especially in the eyes of the casual fan.
Bellator has made incremental gains over the plast few years. According to a report from Bloody Elbow's John Nash, based on projections, the promotion is estimated to make $80 million in revenue this year and potentially up to $100 million in 2020. Cyborg is another name in the stable that gives the promotion credibility, along with fellow former UFC fighters such as Ryan Bader, Rory MacDonald and Gegard Mousasi. Parent company Viacom still seems to be committed to making Bellator a legitimate alternative to the UFC.
Was this the right decision for Cyborg?
There seemed to be some other attractive options out there for her. ONE Championship is throwing around big money and could offer her a rematch against Jorina Baars, the woman who beat her in a 2014 Muay Thai fight. PFL is paying its fighters decently, including a $1 million prize at the end of its annual seasons. PFL also had a ready-made matchup with former two-time Olympic champion Kayla Harrison for Cyborg. Then there's Rizin, which could still be in play considering Bellator's relationship with the Japanese promotion.
In the end, Bellator was probably the safest bet. Cyborg has known Coker for years. Coker promoted her with Strikeforce and the two have always had a strong relationship. Coker said Cyborg's contract is the biggest ever in women's MMA history, though it's unclear what exactly that means. Another positive for Cyborg: She'll have the ability to venture into other combat sports, like boxing, kickboxing or pro wrestling, according to her agent, Audie Attar. Coker said on Ariel Helwani's MMA Show that Cyborg is very interested in competing in boxing and he's fully on board with that. Flexibility is good and Cyborg has expressed her desire to cross over into a number of different things.
How much does Cyborg have left?
Enough to have a pretty dominant run in Bellator. Cyborg was knocked out by Nunes, which was a shock. And she didn't completely wipe the floor with Spencer. But she did beat Spencer pretty handily and it's unclear if Bellator will have anyone better than Spencer to push her to the brink, outside of Budd.
Coker said he expects Cyborg to retire with Bellator and added that he believes she has perhaps three or four years left. That sounds reasonable. Cyborg is 34 years old and probably past her athletic prime. But she has also shored up her technical and tactical acumen over the years under coach Jason Parillo. It'll be interesting to see the wily, mid-30s Cyborg in Bellator compared to the ferocious 20-something Brazilian wild-woman coming out of the notoriously aggressive Chuteboxe camp back in the day.
Is this the end of the women's featherweight division in the UFC?
If it isn't the end, it sure is on life support. The Nunes vs. Cyborg rematch would have been money for the UFC and the two fighters. If Cyborg would have won, it would have opened the door for a trilogy. Nunes doesn't seem all that interested in fighting at 145 pounds. She has the belt at 135 and is dominant there. It's hard to blame her, since there are few compelling matchups there for her at featherweight.
As of Tuesday, the UFC website lists six women's featherweights on the promotion's roster. One is Cyborg. Zingano is another. That leaves four. The Ultimate Fighter 28 featured women's featherweights, but the two finalists -- Macy Chiasson and Pannie Kianzad -- are now competing at bantamweight. Even with Cyborg, there wasn't much of a division. Her departure doesn't make it any better.