At Bellator 259, women’s featherweight champ Cris Cyborg (24-2, 1NC) secured her second title defense under the Bellator banner.
A world champion under Strikeforce, Invicta FC, the UFC, and now Bellator, if Cyborg does one thing consistently, it’s win. Friday, it was in a rematch with Leslie Smith, and it made it nearly to the final bell before Cyborg put Smith away.
“After 16 years of experience, I started to enjoy the moment inside the cage,” Cyborg said of the contest, speaking post-fight to media outlets including Cageside Press. “I love fighting, I love my job, I’m very excited.”
Smith was not easy to put away. Throughout the better part of five rounds, she hung in with the champ as few have before her. “I really put some clear shots on her, I guess she handled it. But I knew she was tough,” Cyborg observed. Eventually, with all of ten seconds remaining in the fifth and final round, Brazil’s Cyborg was able to secure the TKO finish.
Next up, Cat Zingano? That seems to be the plan. It’s certainly the fight Cyborg called for after her win against Leslie Smith — a rare callout from the combat sports legend.
“I’m 16 years fighting, have a lot of experience, and you cannot be a GOAT if you’re scared of a cat,” the champion explained. “So, I asked to see if Scott Coker agrees with me. I would like to fight Cat Zingano. No disrespect to her, I know she’s a real fighter. But I think it’s going to be a great fight between us.”
After Cat Zingano, however, there’s a feeling that the featherweight cupboard might be a little bare. Despite the showing Leah McCourt and Janay Harding put on in their own 145lb contest at Bellator 259.
Cyborg isn’t too concerned about the lack of available bodies, however. “I believe in my partner, Scott Coker. I know he’s going to have a lot of girls, and I know he’s going to have more fights,” she stated. “I believe in this division. 16 years ago, I believed and he believed together with me.”
“A lot of girls are going to come up,” Cyborg added.
Watch the full Bellator 259 post-fight press conference with Cris Cyborg above.
