Back to the MMA Newsfeed

Cris Cyborg felt like a ‘slave’ in the UFC, now she’s truly happy as Bellator champion

Cris Cyborg never wants to lose, but haunted by the memories of her tenure with the UFC, she’s a much happier person now as Bellator champion.

On Saturday night, Cyborg returned to The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. where she defeated Julia Budd to win the 145-pound women’s title. It was the same location where she suffered a shocking first round knockout to Amanda Nunes in her second to last fight with the UFC.

Returning to the same location 13 months later, the 34-year-old Brazilian can’t exactly say that she’s upset with the way things played out with Nunes back in 2018, because without that happening, she may have never been able to join the Bellator roster.