Cris Cyborg responds to Edmond Tarverdyan’s calls for a Ronda Rousey fight

On yesterday’s episode of The MMA Hour, Edmond Tarverdyan, head coach to former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, weighed in his star pupil’s future. While he admitted he isn’t sure if Rousey will ever fight again, he did suggest that he’d like to see her fight one more time, against one fighter in particular: Cris “Cyborg” Justino.

“That’s the one,” Tarverdyan said of this fight. “I want that fight. When I trained Ronda, I know Ronda could beat Cyborg. I know that. Cyborg is too slow.”

“If she wants to make a comeback and get one fight, I think she will do the best she’s ever done and I think she’ll be victorious,” Tarverdyan added. “Because I know Ronda’s personality, because she’s happy right now and she has a good challenge in front of her that she focuses on. I think whatever she wants to do right now, she can do. It’s in her mind.”

For a time, Rousey and Cyborg stood out as the two best female fighters on a planet. Given that they were separated by just 10 pounds, there was a widespread desire to see them fight.

According to Cyborg herself, however, that ship has now sailed. Speaking to MMAFighting.com:

“If Ronda wants to come back for a fight, I believe it’s better for her to fight Miesha Tate. I’m in another stage of my career. I wanted to fight Ronda when she was psychologically well and confident.”

“Now, if she wants to make a good fight for the fans, we can make it at WWE,” Cyborg aded. “It would fit perfectly [for her] to go to Hollywood, and for me would be another challenge in my career.

“And something brilliant, her coach would fit perfectly in her corner in WWE, he’s nothing but a joke.”

So, it appears the only way Cyborg will fight Rousey at this stage is if it’s in the scripted world of pro wrestling. Do you want to see that happen?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 9/19/2017.