UFC 198 is one of the biggest events the promotion has ever hosted. The stadium show features an abundance of Brazilian stars including reigning UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum plus former champs Vitor Belfort and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
However, the most intriguing fighter competing on the card might just be Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino, one of the most controversial and electrifying stars in MMA, who is finally making her UFC debut. She is set to take on veteran Leslie Smith in a 140-pound catchweight bout.
Cyborg is 15-1 with one no contest in her 11-year MMA career, which includes 13 knockout finishes. Her lone loss occurred in 2005 in her professional debut. The Invicta FC featherweight champion has a fighting style reminiscent of classic Chute Boxe Academy fighters like Shogun and Wanderlei Silva where she overwhelms her opposition with vicious strikes. She has decimated her competition and fans have long clamoured for her to fight in the UFC, particularly against former bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.
The Brazilian bruiser is expected to run over Smith. Oddsmakers currently have her as high as a 17-1 betting favourite after she opened at 12-1. If the line movement continues for her, she will be the biggest favourite in UFC history. Odds have been wrong before and anything short of a dominant first-round stoppage could be considered underwhelming — and there’s plenty of potential for it to be underwhelming.
Firstly, there’s the issue of the weight cut. Cyborg generally walks around at close to 170 pounds, according to her nutritionist George Lockhart. She has never cut below 145 pounds and getting down to the featherweight limit is already taxing for her. She even failed a drug test in 2012 following her 16-second knockout of Hiroko Yamanakaduring in Strikeforce. She tested positive for stanozolol, a synthetic anabolic steroid commonly used to lose body fat.
So, there is a chance the additional pounds Cyborg needs to shed to make 140 pounds (or 141 pounds since fighters in non-title bouts are given a one-pound allowance) takes a toll on her physically. If Cyborg is depleted against Smith, she may look less than stellar and her explosiveness and cardio could be compromised.
Secondly, Smith is no pushover. She’s a training partner of the Diaz brothers and extremely durable just like them. Her only stoppage loss came against Jessica Eye at UFC 180 when she injured her ear and doctors prevented the fight from continuing. Smith has never fought a striker with Cyborg’s power and it’s feasible to see her getting knocked out for the first time in her career. But if the Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu team is known for anything it’s resiliency.
If we’re realistic, though, it’s a serious uphill battle for Smith. She has competed at bantamweight (135 pounds) and flyweight (125 pounds) throughout her career. She’s a journeywoman with a 2-2 UFC record, 8-6-1 overall, and has lost all her fights with top-10 calibre opponents.
Most see this fight as the perfect debut for Cyborg with Smith expected to play the role of sacrificial lamb especially when you consider her aggressive, brawling style will theoretically play right into Cyborg’s hand. Not to mention, Cyborg is competing in her home city of Curitiba for the first time in nearly 10 years. We often see the unexpected in this wild sport and though an upset isn’t likely here, we could see Smith push Cyborg to the limit.
