Overnight, UFC president Dana White officially announced a women's featherweight (145lb) division, which will in all likelihood solve the issue which saw Cris Cyborg forced to cut weight to 140lbs at UFC Fight Night 95.
The 31-year-old Brazilian juggernaut has been caught in no man's land in relation to her weight since joining the organisation - too large for bantamweight, too small for lightweight, and feverishly demanding solutions.
She now has one but, in an unexpected wholly expected twist, will not partake in the first ever women's featherweight title clash, which will instead be contested by former bantamweight champion Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie.
Holly Holm vs Germain de Randamie for the NEW women’s featherweight belt at UFC 208!!! pic.twitter.com/LgY7PAaRth
— danawhite (@danawhite) December 14, 2016
Cyborg was initially offered the title fight with both women, but won't be fit again to fight until March following her year-ending cut to 140.
She was initially impressed by the UFC's division, explaining to MMA Fighting:
I’m happy the UFC created my division. It’s been 11 years I’m fighting for women to have the same rights as men with several divisions.
But earlier this morning, the Invicta FC featherweight champion took to Twitter to lambaste the organisation for their choice of match-up, and for not waiting until March when she could fight to officially host the division's first title fight.
She unleashed the following extraordinary but also strikingly pertinent rant, in which she claimed Dana White didn't like her, and threatened to leave the UFC altogether:
The worst part is I fought for the division. I didn't turn down I title fight I asked for a march date. 10 years no division and no respect
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
The problem is there is no one to set the rankings in the @ufc they can take a girl with 2 straight losses and no fights in MMA at 145 https://t.co/rX2QFQcjzd
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
Anyone remember when the @ufc gave @RondaRousey a belt at a press conference? #cmonson I'm world champ 145 10 years the fans know the truth
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
If the UFC is forcing me to 140 and they know they are making 145 why did they want me to kill myself to fight? @KevinI @ufc @YahooSports
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
They won't let me defend my world title at 145 @KevinI @ufc @YahooSports and I can't fight feb because the cut to 140 was dangerous 4 health
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
The @Ufc gives @RondaRousey 1 year to prepare for he belt, they can't give me 2 weeks. I am world champ this division was made for who?
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
I'm tired of working for a boss who doesn't like me
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
I don't fight for the belt I fight for respect and that's why fans will follow to see me fight in any organization with any promoter https://t.co/uPrg2nhXAA
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
.@BigRoche I accepted a fight with Holly for UFC brasilia when she didn't make the date I asked for march. I didn't turn anything down
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
I have always done my best when I fight hoping @danawhite would respect that, but it's not going to change no matter how many fights I win
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
Anyone remember when Dana was on @WhitlockJason saying 145 had no women? It's personal not sport
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
.@sports_god1 @UFCONFOX I was asking for more time to recover from a bad weight cut to 140 after being pressured to fight at that weight
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
I'm world champ no one has beaten me. One of these girls is 0-2 her last fights. The other last fought 145 5 years ago. Not a world title https://t.co/4JQhGYVfT0
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
.@DaRexPlex I'm happy there's a division. That's not the 145 world title though it's media manipulation dipped in gold
— shop CrisCyborg.com (@criscyborg) December 14, 2016
Venues, television bookings and otherwise may well have played a role in the UFC's decision to hold the maiden title clash a couple of weeks earlier than when Cyborg might have been fit and ready, but so too do the above tweets; this rant from Cyborg promotes the contest more so than any promo video, and also spurs her on to promote her own inevitable title fight next year with more fervour.
Such are the joys of having one umbrella organisation running the show - the flipside to boxing's alphabet title shit-show, which the UFC has always strived to better.
