Dana White Stance on Cris Cyborg Fighting in the UFC Seems to be Softening

The UFC women’s bantamweight division seems to have grown complicated for UFC president Dana White.

He’s been working on a deal to bring former Strikeforce champion Gina Carano to the UFC to face current champion Ronda Rousey, but the negotiations have strung out over several months.

White recently said that he believes they are close to an agreement, but characterized it as “complicated.”

The same applies to another former Strikeforce titleholder, current Invicta FC featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino.

Cyborg wants to fight Rousey. Rousey wants to fight Cyborg. And nearly everyone in the fight world wants to see the two go toe to toe.

“I’d love that too, but I don’t make fights,” said Rousey last week. “I just show up and win ’em.”

SEE ALSO: Q&A Video with Dana White and Ronda Rousey: Will Cyborg Fight Happen?

So what’s the hold up? “It’s a complicated question,” said White.

“I know Ronda wants that fight,” he said, before addressing the crux of the hold-up, which has been Cyborg’s weight.

The UFC tried to bring Cyborg into the fold when it created its women’s 135-pound division, but at that time, Cyborg and her camp were unwilling to budge on the fact that she was a 145-pound fighter and couldn’t make the drop to bantamweight.

Having left then-manager Tito Ortiz behind, Cyborg is now the Invicta 145-pound champ, but has been working toward losing the necessary weight and win the necessary fights to get back on the UFC’s radar.

“Cyborg is gonna fight at 135 pounds, evidently,” explained White. “She’s gonna do it in Invicta.”

Cyborg is undefeated since losing her debut bout nine years ago, including a victory over Carano. If Cyborg can safely make the weight cut an continue her success in the cage, she very well could be on her way to the UFC to finally fight Rousey, although White still isn’t ready to fully commit.

“We’ll see what happens and go from there.”