Chris Cyborg sticks to Bellator.
The promotion announced Thursday via a press release that the featherweight champion has re-signed with Bellator on a multi-fight deal. Cyborg (26-2, 1 NC) has been with the promotion since January 2020 and returns after her previous contract was disputed in April 2022.
Cyborg also shared the news on her social media and hinted at a possible fight with top contender Cat Zingano.
Here is Kitty Kitty…
– CrisCyborg.Com (@criscyborg) May 4, 2023
Cyborg 5-0 in a Bellator cage, with all her bouts were tournament fights. She won the featherweight title from Julia Budd at Bellator 238 and successfully defended it four times in a row, most recently against Arlene Blencowe at Bellator 279. Prior to signing with Bellator, Cyborg owned the UFC, Invicta FC, and Strikeforce championships.
“After receiving so many offers from so many promotions, I’m very happy to be able to do business with Bellator and remain the face of the women’s featherweight division,” Cyborg said in the press release. “Scott Coker is a promoter I have worked with and respected for many years. He has done a lot to promote women’s MMA and given us a platform to showcase our skills.
In making this decision it was important to me to sign with the organization that I felt had the biggest names and best talent for £145 to challenge myself against. There is no doubt that all of the top female featherweights are signed with Bellator and I can’t wait to return to There and defend my belt.”
Thursday’s announcement didn’t reveal how many fights Cyborg has committed to, nor who the first opponent of her new deal will be. Zingano is a major favorite having won her first four Bellator matches, as is Sarah McMann who made her Bellator debut last April by defeating Blencowe via split decision.
Both potential contenders were previously title contenders in the UFC’s bantamweight division.
During her MMA free agency, Cyborg competed in a pair of boxing bouts, defeating Simone Silva via decision the previous September, and then following that performance by defeating Gabrielle Holloway the following December.