UFC Can Easily 'Incentivize' Cyborg to Make 135 lbs.

It doesn't matter what Cyborg's nutritionist says.

We all know that she wants (and NEEDS) a strength advantage to have any hope of winning. Thus if she loses too much strength during the weight cut we all know that she'll purposely come in overweight.

But if the fight does get agreed to (likely for next April at the earliest) the UFC should insert clauses into her contract that punish her severely for missing weight, cuz the athletic commission can't penalize PPV bonuses (only salary).

For instance, they could include a clause in her contract that makes her entire PPV bonus dependent on making weight. Thus if she misses weight (and can't fight for the "title" at 135 lbs) then she'll be ineligible for any PPV points in a catchweight fight with Ronda.

In addition, they could include a clause stating that if she misses weight then she'll be contractually bound to fight for the UFC for the next 8 fights with only a moderate guaranteed salary per fight and no PPV bonuses at all.

If she missed weight, her only choices would be to fight for the UFC without PPV bonuses (or) sit on the sidelines and retire.

If she signed such a contract then it would be legally binding and the athletic commission couldn't veto it, cuz they don't deal with PPV points or how many fights are on a fighter's contract (they only deal with guaranteed salaries).

I personally believe that -- without stiff PPV and contractual penalties -- she'll purposely come in 5 lbs.+ overweight thinking that Ronda will be under pressure to still fight cuz of all the pre-fight media build up.

 

I pretty much assumed that every contract the UFC has offered her or will offer her has penalty clauses (severe ones) for missing weight.

UFC is taking a big gamble with her. It would be irresponsible to simply assume / hope she shows up at 135 when it counts.

 

Like I already said in the other thread. She is too big to make 135-lbs and she got arms on her like Charles Atlas. She needs to lose the muscle and then we'll talk. This foolishness has been going on for years.

 

Better yet - have Nunes or Holm ready to fight that night, if Cyborg misses weight she doesn't get the fight at all and Nunes/Holm steps in to take her place.

 

Leave this fight alone

 

Why would they do that when she can sell 900k ppv crushing cans

 

I got this guys-

Heads too big can't make weight

 

Pretty simple, she either makes weight, or they have another opponent on standby to fill in. Say Rousey beats Tate, they could make Rousey/Cyborg, and then have someon like Nunes also cutting to make weight if Rousey doesn't. THis was the plan for when Aldo's ribs were hurt and he had yet to pull out of the fight.

In reality, Cyborg should be forced to make weight at 135 pounds and win a fight, preferable against UFC competition, before getting a shot. That is the only logical thing to do.

 

Cyborg vs Elizabeth Phillips, loser goes home

 

So making the most she ever has from a fight and possibly the chance to make a few million after isn't enough?

 

You need to read the OP and not just the title.

 

Just put it in the contract that the fight doesn't happen unless she makes weight. No option for Ronda to accept the fight non-title.

 

Why do that fight at all now?

You could spend the next three years getting great PPV numbers with Rousey fighting 40 second fights over and over. Her fans don't care.

So why risk those easy number pay offs with one big fight that has a small chance of derailing the money train?

Its just simple UFC org math no?

 

Why not just make the fight at 145 or catch weight and avoid the problem all together?

 

they tried. a few years before you joined sherdog. she said no thanks and can i please leave instead.

so they let her leave.

Tito was her agent at the time, btw. the whole thing was some combination of crazy and stupid. on her part.

 

Cyborg needs a hard cut against someone to 135 and fight ronda at 145 and "miss weight" and just say whoops dont be scare ronda

 

Why should Rousey make the concession for Cyborg to go up in weight to fight her? She has nothing to gain by going up in weight for the fight, Cyborg has a lot to gain by meeting Rousey at 135 lbs.

 

Did you hear the George Lockhart interview on The MMA Hour Today (around 55 minute mark)? Very informative IMO.

There is alot of misinformation out there and/or information, and the opinion, coming from only one side: the side of Ronda's interest. I don't know about you guys, but I would be furious if a public debate was taking place in which the whole public was hearing/choosing to hear only one side of the story and shutting out my side, simply because I was not as popular and monetarily successful.

Take it for what one will but the other side is:

*Ronda and Cyborg scheduled to fight at 145. Ronda decides it is a bad career decision and moves to 135 in hopes that Cyborg cannot/will not make the weight cut.

*Ronda wants to stay champion for a while, increase toolbox and let Cyborg age so that she has a better chance.

*UFC talks of catchweight at 140, Cyborg accepts, Ronda does not feel ready.

*UFC is adamant that if the fight is to take place, it will be at 135.

*UFC offers Cyborg the 135 fight after Ronda beat Bethe. Cyborg consults George Lockhart this past week, asking if she can realistically and healthily make 135, he says "yes". Cyborg and management say they are willing to take the bout but the UFC has not checked with Ronda.

*Ronda declines fighting Cyborg at 135 in December 2015, although she recently said in the media that she would fight Cyborg, only stipulation being the fight is at 135.

*Cyborg goes to the media saying they were offered the fight and accepted. UFC denies the whole story so that it does not make Ronda look duplicitous and cowardly for saying should would fight Cyborg anytime so long as it takes place @ 35.

So, at this point, it appears Cyborg making 135 is a non issue at this point. Rather, it is a concern she has had and subsequently the one exploited by Ronda, hoping it would deflect blame from the real reason: Ronda simply does not want to fight Cyborg at any weight at this juncture.

Additionally, I believe fans are far too optimistic about this fight happening, as the UFC can't strong arm Ronda the way they would other fighters that refuse to fight certain opponents. Simply put, she is the whole women's division, the UFC's second most lucrative star ever, a social icon and if she refuses, the fight won't happen and UFC will have her back and try their best to make her look good. When ever you go thru combat sport history and one participant flaltly does not want to fight the other, it usually never happens, and with good reason. GSP didn't want to fight AS, Tyson didn't want to fight Bowe, etc....heck, it took Mayweather a decade and 300 million to get Mayweather to accept Pacman and rather than score another 300mil in a rematch, he chooses to fight a woefully overmatched Berto for a fraction of what he could make.

I, for one, do not want to see any fighter fight an opponent who they, for whatever reason, just do not want to fight. Fighting should be mutually participatory, enjoyable to those who partake and not an endeavor filled with horror and dread. It is a bad thing for the sport that this fight won't happen but a good thing for humanity. Props to Ronda for standing her ground, even if she tried to obscure the reasons for her doing so.

 

plus, this is the biggest check cyborg will ever make. if that is not incentive then owe well.

 

dana already is