Cris Cyborg wanted the chance to speak after her defeat to Amanda Nunes on Saturday night.
Cyborg lost her UFC featherweight title after being brutalised by her fellow Brazilian in the co-main event of UFC 232, with Nunes adding the 145lbs crown to her bantamweight title, and Cyborg was immediately ushered out of the cage after issuing her congratulations to the better woman on the night.
After seeing her 13-year unbeaten streak come to an end in Los Angeles, Cyborg felt disrespected by the lack of post-fight interview.
“They just kicked me out of the cage,” Cyborg told MMA Fighting. “I think (it’s) very bad, very disrespectful, because I did a lot for the sport. I was supposed to say hello for my fans and talk to them.
“I think it’s not right. But OK, they did, (it’s) already done, I can go (to the) media and talk to my fans, say how I appreciate them, how them coming to the cage to watch my fight, all Cyborg Nation here to watch me. It’s OK, I just feel like I’m supposed to say something. Two Brazilian fighters, two champions. That’s it.”
To be fair to UFC commentator Joe Rogan, he has made a point of avoiding interviewing fighters who have just suffered a devastating defeat ever since his awkward conversation with Alistair Overeem in 2016. There have been a couple of exceptions to that rule, most notably Daniel Cormier after his 2017 defeat to Jon Jones.
Cyborg, who has only one fight remaining on her UFC contract, was of the opinion that she had earned the right to address her hardcore fans.
The 33-year-old refused to comment on whether the UFC’s treatment of her last weekend would affect her decision on her fighting future, instead using the media opportunity to thank her supporters.
“I wanna say thank you for all my fans (for coming to California),” Cyborg added. “I always try being the champion in the hearts of everybody, give them hope, because people (who) follow me knows how hard it was for me and I never showed them I’m quitting, I’m weak, I never showed that.
“But I’m a human being, I have my mistakes, I have a lot of things like everybody here, and I showed them it doesn’t matter you gonna fall, you gonna stand up on your feet and get in there. You just have to believe and have faith.
“This is the thing I want to show to all my fans. When you do that, you are the champion. When you stand up on your feet after you fall, you are the champion. And this is what I tried to show all my fans because I know everybody has hard times and I feel sad because everybody is sad because I lost today. For sure I have something to learn today. I don’t know what now, but I know God is gonna show me. I don’t want nobody sad because I’m not gonna be sad.”
