Cristiane Justino’s impressive Octagon debut is sure to give the armchair matchmakers plenty to discuss in the coming weeks.
Justino overwhelmed Leslie Smith in a 140-pound catch-weight bout at UFC 198 in Curitiba, Brazil, winning via technical knockout just 1:21 into the opening stanza. A four-punch combination from the Chute Boxe representative put Smith on the canvas, and some follow-up ground-and-pound clinched the victory for the Invicta FC 145-pound queen.
“It was an opportunity to show a lot of fans that never knew, who didn’t know who Cyborg was. I was very emotional. I was walking in slow. When I saw everyone screaming I started to run. I wanted to cry. But I told myself, ‘I can’t cry. I’ve got to go fight.’ The crowd strengthened me a lot,” Justino said at the post-fight press conference. “Fighting in Curitiba was what really helped me to hit 140 pounds. Fighting in the UFC for the first time I thought it was going to be very difficult to hit this weight.”
The strain of the weight cut to 140 pounds was visible when Justino tweeted out a picture prior to weigh-ins on Friday. Although she hit her mark with no issues, a move to bantamweight could prove to be too taxing for the Brazilian.
“I’m really happy about this fight because I feel great,” she said during an interview on Fox Sports 1. “I made 140 and today I did good. I think maybe I could make catch-weight or I will defend my belt at 145.”
Justino campaigned to fight on the UFC 198 card prior to the event and was ultimately granted her wish by the Las Vegas-based promotion. However, she realized that a willing dance partner was needed before she could make her Octagon debut.
“A lot of people have been saying a lot on social media, but when it’s time to sign the contract they don’t sign it. And Leslie accepted,” Justino said. “She’s a great fighter because of it. It’s hard to find a great fighter who doesn’t pick opponents. She accepted a fight with me and she supported the dream of me being in the UFC.”