Mixed-martial artists Ronda Rousey and Cris "Cyborg" Justino will have a showdown inside the ring, and reports have been saying that it could very well happen this year. Apparently, the two camps already kicked off the dialogue for the much-anticipated fight.
Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, informed Inside MMA that Cyborg and her camp were given, and has consequently accepted, an offer to fight Rousey on Dec. 5 at the Cowboys Stadium. Ortiz is a former co-manager and training partner to "Cyborg" Justino, and according to him, the ball is now in Rousey's hands.
On the other hand, UFC president Dana White, who have not been in good terms with Ortiz for a while, firmly stated in one of her interviews with Yahoo Sports that the former UFC champion is lying. According to her, she knows no offer being made to Justino whatsoever, so an offer for a bout with Rousey is not only highly unlikely but also utterly impossible.
"That was a complete lie," said White, referring to the statement made by Ortiz during his appearance on Inside MMA last Friday. To which then she added, "The UFC doesn't even talk to Tito Ortiz, so let's start there. But we haven't offered any fight. Tito Ortiz is just making this up. In no way, shape or form did we offer her [Cyborg] a fight against Ronda at Cowboys Stadium. Completely untrue."
George Prajin, Justino's manager, also confirmed in an interview about having several talks with UFC regarding the showdown, although he said that he'd rather not reveal premature negotiation details to the public.
When asked about his reaction to the fiasco, he said that he understood White's defiance and recognized that it may have to do with the UFC president's unresolved issues with Ortiz.
According to Prajin, the projected fight on Dec. 5 will be a 135-pound showdown where Justino will be able to fight with a maintained strength and the proper weight.
