ROUNDTABLE (Batch 2): How should UFC use Cyborg? As a special attraction at 140 lbs? Exclusively for Invicta? Or open a 145 lb. division?

Topic…

How should UFC be using Cris Cyborg? As a special attraction at 140 lbs? Exclusively for Invicta? Or should UFC open a 145 lb. women’s division?

Frank Gonzales, contributor

I don’t get the 140 lbs. thing at all.  Clearly, this woman is a bad-ass who people want to see, so let her fight at a safe weight against the best opponents you can find, and market her as the killer she is. What’s the real issue here?  I’m guessing if the pro wrestler with no experience wanted to fight at 180 lbs., they would have been a little more accommodating than they’ve been to Ms. Cyborg.

Adam Tindal, contributor

The UFC really needs to just open up a 145 lb. division. It’s silly for them to make this poor woman go through such a dreadful weight cut every time simply for a one-off fight.

Michael Grocke, contributor

Dana White and the UFC need a 145 lb. women’s division. Cris “Cyborg” Justino clearly struggles to make the weight cut to 140 lbs. to the point I fear for her overall health. To expect her to get down to 135 to set up a possible money fight against Ronda Rousey seems foolish. It seems to me the UFC is using her to pop a rating, but how long will casual fans continue to tune in just to see her showcased as a special attraction? It’ll be just a matter of time before fans get their fill of her plowing through random opponents. Cyborg has long been the most dominating, fearsome fighter in women’s MMA. Dana White needs to stop playing games and allow her to stay at 145. She’s only 31 years old so there’s still plenty of productive years left for her to defend her UFC Featherweight Women’s Championship.

Matthew Peterson, contributor

The UFC has asked enough of Cris Cyborg in making her cut to 140 lbs. for her first two fights in the organization.  The woman is clearly meant for the Featherweight Division and adding such a division will give more depth to the UFC’s female roster.  It was able to build a Bantamweight Division around Ronda Rousey and there’s no reason to believe it cannot do the same with Cyborg.  Forcing her to take catchweight fights at 140 lbs. does nothing for her standing as the top female fighter in the world and will only take years off of her fighting career due to the dangerous weight cut.  Cyborg has played ball so far and deserves some goodwill back her way.

Frank Hyden, columnist

At the least she should be heavily promoted by the UFC as a special attraction at 140 lbs. I’d be all for the UFC opening a 145 lbs. women’s division, but if they don’t want to do that, at least feature Cyborg and make her a special attraction. She deserves to be given this opportunity, plus it could make the UFC money. You would think the UFC would already be doing this, but apparently Dana White is being stubborn or got his feelings hurt or something because it doesn’t make sense for the UFC to not get behind Cyborg. Instead of attacking or obstructing her, they should be making a big deal of her victories.

If you missed it yesterday, read the first batch of responses to this topic here: ROUNDTABLE: How should UFC use Cyborg? As a special attraction at 140 lbs? Exclusively for Invicta? Or open a 145 lb. division? (Batch One)

MMATorch Roundtables feature an array of opinions on a hot topic in the world of MMA from the MMATorch staff. If you have a topic you’d like us to address, send it to mmatorch@gmail.com and put “ROUNDTABLE TOPIC” in the subject line.