Cris ‘Cyborg’ to Defend Featherweight Crown vs. Holly Holm at UFC 219 in Las Vegas

Tristen CritchfieldNov 17, 2017


After reportedly being dead approximately one week ago, Cristiane Justino vs. Holly Holm is a done deal for UFC 219.

The promotion confirmed the women’s featherweight title bout on Thursday. It is currently unknown if Justino-Holm will serve as the headliner for UFC 219, which takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Dec. 30. The card includes a lightweight showdown between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Edson Barboza as well as a welterweight duel pitting Carlos Condit against Neil Magny.

“Cyborg” captured the vacant featherweight title with a third round technical knockout of Tonya Evinger at UFC 2014 on July 29. The 32-year-old Brazilian has been angling for a bout with Holm since then, and both fighters have gone back and forth on social media regarding drug testing. Overall, Justino is 18-1 as a professional and has finished her first three UFC opponents.

Holm, meanwhile, challenged for the inaugural 145-pound belt but lost a unanimous decision to Germaine de Randamie at UFC 208 on Feb. 11. The former bantamweight queen returned to 135 pounds in her next outing, scoring a third-round knockout victory over Bethe Correia at UFC Fight Night 111. The Jackson-Wink MMA standout is 4-3 during her UFC tenure and 11-3 as a professional overall.