The wheels are apparently in motion for a UFC superfight between featherweight queen Cristiane Justino and bantamweight champ Amanda Nunes. Now it’s just a matter of getting both sides to agree on a date for their bout.
According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, the promotion has sent bout agreements to both “Cyborg” and Nunes for a proposed 145-pound title bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Dec. 29. Nunes seemed to confirm that report by posting a picture on Twitter of her signing a bout agreement for UFC 232.
Waiting on you. @criscyborg #ufc232 December 29 Contrato assinado 29 de dezembro #ufc232 pic.twitter.com/J6QKx3YjvC
— Amanda Nunes (@Amanda_Leoa) July 12, 2018
However, their could be an issue between the two parties regarding a date. Justino indicated on her own social media account that she agreed to face Nunes at UFC 228 in Dallas. The Brazilian knockout artist hasn’t competed since UFC 222 on March 3, when she dispatched Yana Kunitskaya via TKO 2:25 into the opening stanza on March 3.
I agreed for second time , fight Amanda Nunes September 8 #UFCdallas #UFC228 my last fight was 4 months ago. I’m ready to fight.
— CyborgVNunes #ufc228 (@criscyborg) July 11, 2018
According to the Times, however, a UFC official claimed that the December date would be ideal for Justino vs. Nunes. “Cyborg’ currently has two fights remaining on her contract and would prefer to fight before the end of the year.
“I was told they didn’t have anyone to fight me, and I responded, ‘Fine, you have to release me,'” Cyborg told the Times. “Amanda wouldn’t agree to fight me in July … she says her leg is hurting, ‘Oh, I need six months … .’
“I’ve accepted the fight with Amanda three times — before July, July and Sept. 8. I don’t need to wait for her when I’m ready to fight. I asked the UFC to bring Amanda to a Las Vegas doctor to see if this injury is true. They never did.”
Nunes last appeared at UFC 224, where she defeated Raquel Pennington via fifth-round stoppage for her third successful 135-pound title defense. That card reportedly did less than 100,000 pay-per-view buys, which is another concern for “Cyborg.”
“She don’t sell pay-per-views … I do. I already proved this,” Cyborg said. “I know they want to make this fight cool, but I don’t need to fight anybody and I don’t need to wait. I don’t have any injury. I haven’t fought since March, and waiting five more months is a long time.”