Cris Cyborg Reacts to Ronda Rousey's Claims of Being Greatest Fighter Ever

06 April 2024

Former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey recently stirred up the MMA community by proclaiming herself as the greatest fighter to have ever graced the sport. In a candid conversation with Valeria Lipovetsky on her 'Not Alone' podcast, Rousey asserted her dominance despite her retirement from MMA competition.

"Just from that one fight, everybody felt like, 'Oh she’s a fraud.' I know that I’m the greatest fighter that has ever lived," Rousey stated, reflecting on her career and the scrutiny she faced after suffering significant neurological damage.

Rousey's remarks come years after her retirement from MMA following consecutive losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Despite her accolades, her claims have been met with skepticism, particularly from her longtime rival, Cris Cyborg.

Responding to Rousey's assertion, Cyborg took to social media platform 'X' to express her thoughts, dismissing Rousey's claim and alluding to concerns about her health. "Poor girl still suffering from CTE. I hope she finally got a good mouth guard," Cyborg remarked, referencing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease associated with repeated head trauma.

Cyborg's jab at Rousey's claims also referenced Rousey's previous statements attributing her losses to issues with her mouthguard and concussions.

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Despite the ongoing debate over Rousey's legacy, it's worth noting that Rousey and Cyborg never faced each other inside the cage during their respective careers. Cyborg, now 38, continues to compete actively in MMA, most recently securing a TKO victory over Cat Zingano at Bellator 300 last October. With six consecutive victories under her belt since joining Bellator in 2019, Cyborg remains a dominant force in the women's MMA landscape.