Cris “Cyborg” Justino won’t have to wait much longer to make her UFC debut.
Justino, the Invicta FC featherweight champion, will make her long-awaited debut May 14 at UFC 198, where she will face Leslie Smith in Curitiba, Brazil, at a catchweight of 140 pounds.
“I’m super excited about finally fighting in the UFC and making my debut in front of my hometown,” Justino told Yahoo Sports. “I am very thankful to the UFC for finally giving me the chance to show the world why I am the baddest woman on the planet.”
Justino (15-1) has been just as dominant as Ronda Rousey, and rumors of the two squaring off inside the octagon have swirled for a while now. But that fight still hasn’t happened, due in large part to the weight differential between Justino (featherweight) and Rousey (bantamweight).
That fight still might happen one day, but Smith will be UFC opponent No. 1 for Justino.
Thumbnail photo via Jason Silva/USA TODAY Sports Images
