5 Promotions That Could Sign Cris Cyborg
Could WWE land one of sport's most coveted free agents?
The often tense relationship between Cris Cyborg and UFC President Dana White has finally come to an end. Following a controversial backstage confrontation between the two, White told the press that "We're out of the Cyborg Business."
This means that the 34-year-old Brazilian is now the hottest free agent on the market. Cyborg is a former UFC Women's Featherweight Champion with a 21-2-1 professional record. She was undefeated for roughly thirteen years, prior to her bout with Amanda Nunes this past December. Nunes would end up knocking out the former featherweight queen in the very first round.
However, despite the fact that her unbeaten streak has ended, she remains one of the biggest names in combat sports. Landing a star like Cris Cyborg would heighten the profile of any mixed martial arts promotion in the world. Tough, it is also possible that the former champ steps away from MMA to pursue other endeavors.
Recently, the Brazilian powerhouse has expressed interest in the world of sports entertainment — aka professional wrestling. So it's quite possible her next bout could take place inside the squared circle.
In truth, there are quite a few options for the former UFC star, both in and out of the cage. Let's explore them a bit further.
5. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
Cris Cyborg has been linked to WWE several times in the past. She has playfully called out 'The Man' Becky Lynch on social media and even challenged her to a match at SummerSlam.
Last January, the Brazilian star made headlines when she visited the WWE Performance Center. For those unfamiliar, the Performance Center is the promotion's wrestling school and training facility.
However, the now-former UFC standout insisted that she was just visiting and had no interest in pursuing a career in pro wrestling at the time. That being said, she has told media outlets, like TMZ, that she would be interested in stepping in a WWE ring with her long-time rival, and current WWE signee, Ronda Rousey.
For years, MMA fans salivated over a potential dream fight between Cyborg and Rousey. Though the two publicly exchanged verbal jabs, the bout ultimately never happened. Seeing these MMA legends square off, even with a predetermined outcome, would still generate plenty of interest.
Ronda Rousey versus Cris Cyborg would be a WrestleMania-worthy spectacle and a lucrative endeavor for all parties. Of course, Rousey's future with WWE is uncertain at the moment, so a lot would need to happen for this match to materialize.
Still, stranger things have occurred in the world of professional wrestling, so Cyborg versus Rousey can't be entirely ruled out.
Even without Rousey in the mix, based on name recognition alone, Cyborg could still have a fiscally successful run in WWE.