Cyborg’s Coach: The Holm Who Fought Bethe Correia Will ‘Go To Sleep’ at UFC 219

After a long time of negotiations and build-up, we finally have the UFC women’s featherweight title fight that many believed we should have gotten all along. Cris Cyborg will defend her title against Holly Holm in just a month to also contend her status as the best female fighter in the world. Cyborg’s coach thinks Holm’s last fight is telling on how the scrap at UFC 219 will go, but thinks even the best Holly Holm will have no choice but to fall at Cyborg’s hands.

“When I watched Holly Holm’s last fight against Bethe Correia or whatever it was, that Bethe girl, Bethe, her level of striking is at the lowest level of the game, the lowest level of the game! And I watched her f-cking batter around for three rounds, Holly trying to get her out of there. Did she finally get her out of there with the head kick? Yes. Should that have happened in the first minute of the first round of the level that both of them are at? Yes. She should have knocked her – look at what Ronda Rousey did to that girl. Ronda Rousey, again, the lowest level of striking in the MMA game, went out and knocked Bethe Correia the f-ck out in the first fucking minute of their god damn fight. And styles make fights, there’s no math on that and I get it, I get it, but Bethe Correia is very ordinary, very ordinary with a low skill-level in striking. Sorry Bethe if you hear this interview, it’s no disrespect to you but it’s just a fact. It is what it is. And I didn’t see the Holly Holm that fought Ronda Rousey out there when she fought Bethe. If there was, she probably would have smoked her a little sooner now wouldn’t she?”

BREAKING: There’s a title on the line at #UFC219!@CrisCyborg is set to defend her undisputed featherweight championship against @HollyHolm in Las Vegas on Dec. 30. pic.twitter.com/zHAGrIQDir

— UFC (@ufc) November 17, 2017

“[Cyborg]’s gonna’ put her out with either the right hand or the left hook. I would like to see the left hook because that’s something that we’ve been developing in the last couple of years, just like I helped Mike [Bisping] develop his left hook. She’s got natural power with the right hand. She’ll punch you, she’ll knock your f-cking head off with her right hand, man or women – left hook too. And especially now, she’s throwing it really clean. So Holly’s gonna have to watch out for both hands, she’s gonna have to watch out for everything with Cris. Cris, she’s just on another level these days. I mean, non-stop training. She doesn’t wanna go to the floor with her, she’s not gonna’ wanna’ wrestle Cris, and her best bet is to sit there and try and strike with Cris, and that’s where she’s gonna’ fall short and get caught in an exchange and go to sleep.” — Jason Parillo speaking to Submission Radio.

Not taking away from Ronda Rousey or even Bethe Correia, but there is no argument that Cyborg’s striking is on another level. However, combat is completely unpredictable. If anything, UFC 217 just proved that even the best made plans can be laid to waste. Despite her latest performances and record, Holm has a chance to take out Cris Cyborg. With wins over both Rousey and Cyborg, Holm would go down as one of — if not the — best women’s fighter on the planet. Cyborg will try and prove she already is.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 11/30/2017.