Cristiane
Justino’s next combat sports appearance will be in the Sweet
Science.
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“Cyborg” will face Kelsey
Wickstrum in a six-round boxing match at 154 pounds on Jan. 19
at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California.
ESPN was first to report the booking.
Justino has two boxing matches — one professional and one
exhibition — under her belt already. In her official pro debut, the
Brazilian defeated Gabrielle
Holloway via unanimous decision this past December. The
36-year-old Wickstrum, meanwhile, is 2-0 as a pro boxer with one
knockout.
Justino, who is currently Bellator’s reigning featherweight
champion, returned to MMA on Oct. 7, when she defeated Cat Zingano
via first-round technical knockout at Bellator 300. “Cyborg” has
held belts in Bellator, the UFC, Strikeforce and Invicta FC over
the course of an MMA career that began in 2005.
Her next move in MMA is unclear with Bellator facing an uncertain
future. The California-based promotion is currently up for sale,
and Professional Fighters League is reportedly expected to acquire
the organization in the near future. Meanwhile, Bellator broadcast
partner Showtime recently announced that it will no longer have MMA
and boxing content after 2023.