Yahoo Finance Dana White: 'We're out of the Cyborg business'
If Cris “Cyborg” Justino gets an offer to leave UFC, Dana White is letting her walk. In an interview Friday, White said he would not match any offer Cyborg receives from a rival company and is going to end her UFC contract.
Cyborg, 34, has been vocal about her desire to test free agency. Cyborg fulfilled her contract with UFC, but stated before UFC 240 that she would listen to other offers instead of immediately re-signing with UFC.
“Message sent. I get it. I’m gonna release her from her contract,” White said. “I will not match any offers. She is free and clear to go to Bellator or any of these other organizations ... I will literally today have my lawyer draft a letter to her team that she is free and clear to go wherever she wants.
“We’re out of the Cyborg business.”
(Relevant portion of the video begins around 7:25.)
The two have butted heads since UFC 240. Cyborg told ESPN that she needed White to apologize for hurtful comments made by White and others before Cyborg re-signed with UFC.
White compared Cyborg to a male fighter in 2014, saying she looked like “Wanderlei Silva in a dress and heels.” In 2015, UFC commentator Joe Rogan joked that Cyborg had a male genitalia. Cyborg said Rogan has apologized privately for that comment.
Cyborg and White have also argued over her desire to have a rematch with Amanda Nunes. White claims Cyborg does not want to fight Nunes. Cyborg has said she wants a rematch with Nunes.
The situation got even more bizarre Friday night, when Cyborg admitted a video she posted on social media had been edited to portray White in a negative light.
The video, which featured White and Cyborg talking after UFC 240, appeared to show White telling her, “Whenever you hear me saying stuff, I’m not telling the truth.”
Cyborg released a statement Friday, saying her “production team” edited the video to make it look like White said that. Cyborg released the actual video, in which White says, “Whenever you hear me saying stuff, I’m not saying negative things about you.”
Cris Cyborg has posted an apology to Dana White on IG, for misrepresenting their backstage interaction last week in a video she posted on YouTube. pic.twitter.com/cujqmdeFzX
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) August 3, 2019
Cyborg apologized to White for the edited video and said it would not happen again. White thanked Cyborg for the apology post.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
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