With aspirations of becoming a professional handball player, Cris Cyborg never could’ve dreamed she’d go on such a wacky ride to the pinnacle of the UFC.
Later tonight, at London’s Indigo at The O2, the Brazilian phenom will finally display her skills in front of a UK crowd, who’ve for so long craved the chance to watch her in person. And with her opponent, Aria Wild, firing shots over social media, it goes without saying that Cyborg is looking to end the feud with an eye-catching KO.
However, before the eagerly-anticipated bout at Crypto Fight Night: Off-Chain, she spoke to MMA TV Live about her incredible road to the position she’s in today.
While fans across the globe know the legend for her thunderous power and formidable fighting heart, her life could’ve taken a very different path had she not had a chance encounter with an MMA coach during a handball game.
She told MMA TV Live: “I started to play handball when I was 12. I played a little bit of soccer and track and field, too. I was really good at all the sports. When I was 19, I was at university, playing handball for the team. Then, a coach asked me if I wanted to do MMA, and I said, ‘Maybe I can do it’.
“I trained for six months, and then I did my first fight. It was never my plan to be a mixed martial artist. I wanted to come to Europe to play handball because the standard is really good there.”
While Cyborg could’ve very well scaled the handball mountain, her achievements in MMA are more than anything she ever could’ve imagined.
With UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce and Invicta titles on her mantelpiece, the Grand Slam champion is undeniably one of the greatest competitors to ever grace the cage, with plenty still left in the tank.
In just a few hours, the 38-year-old will return to the ring, where she aims to produce a breathtaking performance worthy of capturing the attention of fight fans around the globe.
She explained: “I've been grinding every day. Anyone who’s seen my MMA fights knows I like to finish my opponents with strikes. Now, I have the opportunity to do boxing fights and do my camps with professional boxers and professional coaches, so I'm thrilled. Everybody knows I like to go to war, but I want to show my skills and put on a beautiful fight for the fans.”
With UK combat sports enthusiasts revelling in the opportunity to watch their hero do what she does best, the hype for Cyborg’s London takeover is flying through the roof.
Thus, when the decorated athlete sets foot in the ring, she’ll put it all on the line as she looks to land the brutal knockout blow to send her rival crashing towards the canvas.
And luckily, with the fight taking place at a higher weight than she’s accustomed, the icon can go to battle, powered on BBQ food.
She laughed: “When I’m making 145 pounds for MMA, I usually go for sushi. But for boxing, I have BBQ. I don’t have too much to cut, so I can have fun. I can enjoy the week, walk around London and have some BBQ food.”
