'Cris Cyborg' Blasts 'Disrespectful' UFC For Denying Her The Mic After UFC 232 Loss

Amanda Nunes provided a huge upset on Saturday night at UFC 232 when she dethroned Cristiane Justino in just 51 seconds to become the first women’s dual-division champion in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The knockout loss for “Cyborg” was the first in her career and after the fight and not surprisingly, the first question that was asked to the Brazilian during the post-fight press conference was if she deserved an immediate rematch. The former champ was clearly frustrated and rather than answer the question, she pointed the finger at the UFC for not allowing her a post-fight interview inside the Octagon (courtesy of MMA Fighting):

“They just kicked me out of the cage,” Justino said. “I think (it’s) very bad, very disrespectful, because I did a lot for the sport. I was supposed to say hello for my fans and talk to them. I think it’s not right. But OK, they did, (it’s) already done, I can go (to the) media and talk to my fans, say how I appreciate them, how them coming to the cage to watch my fight, all Cyborg Nation here to watch me. It’s OK, I just feel like I’m supposed to say something. Two Brazilian fighters, two champions. That’s it.”

“Cyborg” claims she wanted to show her fans that she was fine despite the loss and continue to be a champion “in the hearts of the people” because “everything (that) happened in my career, everybody knows here, it’s not easy for me,” she said. “Never easy. But I worked hard and worked harder and got the belt and proved everybody who I am. Against the system. Nobody do this. Against the system. And who I am, (I was a) champion before, but I want to be champion in people’s hearts and I’m gonna continue doing this anywhere I’m going.”

It is well known that the former Strikeforce, Invicta FC, and UFC featherweight champion is interested in pursuing a career in boxing and considering she has only one fight left on her UFC contract she was asked in Portuguese if the decision by the UFC to not give her a chance to thank her fans directly after the fight will have any bearing on her decision to re-sign with the promotion. Rather than answer the question directly, she took the opportunity to send the message to her fans that she had not had the opportunity to deliver in the Octagon.

“I wanna say thank you for all my fans (for coming to California),” Cyborg said. “I always try being the champion in the hearts of everybody, give them hope, because people (who) follow me knows how hard it was for me and I never showed them I’m quitting, I’m weak, I never showed that. But I’m a human being, I have my mistakes, I have a lot of things like everybody here, and I showed them it doesn’t matter you gonna fall, you gonna stand up on your feet and get in there. You just have to believe and have faith.

“This is the thing I want to show to all my fans. When you do that, you are the champion. When you stand up on your feet after you fall, you are the champion. And this is what I tried to show all my fans because I know everybody has hard times and I feel sad because everybody is sad because I lost today. For sure I have something to learn today. I don’t know what now, but I know God is gonna show me. I don’t want nobody sad because I’m not gonna be sad.”