The Brazilian star released a statement via Instagram on Monday, revealing that she is “very happy” to be finished with the UFC era. Justino completed her contract at UFC 240, where she earned a dominant unanimous decision over Felicia Spencer in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on July 27.
“The means no one released me,” Justino added.
While that is correct, the UFC did apparently waive the three-month negotiating rights it retained over the former women’s featherweight champion, clearing the way for her to test free agent waters immediately.
Organizations such as Bellator MMA, Professional Fighters League and One Championship are all expected to have an interest in “Cyborg,” who was also a belt holder in Strikeforce and Invicta FC. She did not, however, reveal her destination.
“I’m going to a place people knows about the word respect,” she wrote in the comments. “Uncle Dana don’t want give the rematch [with Amanda Nunes] .. I can’t be stuck [an event] don’t have my division.. I can’t be fighting 1 time per year.. and the boss try damage my brand. I’m fighter and human [being] too.”
If she had stayed in the Las Vegas-based promotion, Justino claims there wouldn’t have been enough featherweights on the roster to keep her active. Justino also said that White didn’t want to give her the Nunes rematch. Nunes defeated “Cyborg” via first-round knockout at UFC 232 this past December to become a two-division champion.
“Dana didn’t want to give me the rematch, only a six-fight contract, and the UFC unfortunately doesn’t have girls in my division,” Cyborg wrote in another comment in Portuguese (translation via MMAFighting.com ). “I’d die in the UFC without fighting, and still being defamed, so the best option would be see other promotions that have my division, where I could fight more often. Who knows, maybe one day Amanda and I will rematch. No one knows what tomorrow might bring, God’s the one who makes my plans.”
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