While some speculate about possible Ronda Rousey opponents like Bethe Correia, Cat Zingano and (laughably) Gina Carano, the only true Super Fight opponent that makes sense for Rousey is Cris Cyborg.

Yes, the opponent Ronda Rousey should fight next is Cris Cyborg. They should fight at 145 lbs. Ronda can keep her 135 lb title.

Both Ronda and Cris are natural 145 lb fighters and fought in that weight division when they were under contract with Strikeforce.

Back then Strikeforce offered Ronda a 145 lb fight with Cris Cyborg. Cris accepted but Ronda turned it down. Rousey has been been running and hiding from Cyborg ever since.

Ronda Rousey has had 13 MMA fights (pro and amateur). The majority of her MMA career has been contested at 145 lbs or higher (yes, she fought once at 150 lbs). Out of those 13 fights Ronda only fought 5 women at 135 lbs (Miesha Tate twice). Rousey’s natural weight division is 145 lbs. She fought Hayden Munoz, Autumn Richardson, Taylor Stratford, Ediane Gomes, Charmaine Tweet, Sarah D’Alelio, and Julia Budd all at 145 lbs or higher.

The UFC has a strong distributorship agreement with Invicta FC (Cyborg’s current employer) so it would be easy for the UFC to stage a special 145 lb fight with no title on the line. Another solution is to have Invicta FC and the UFC co-promote a Super Fight for Cris Cyborg’s 145 lb Invicta Title. If Ronda wins she can vacate the 145 lb belt and be two division champion. If Cris wins Ronda will still have her 135 lb belt.

Rousey has already agreed to do this (fight at 145 lbs) but only for Gina Carano.

Ronda Rousey Willing To Fight At 145 Pounds In The UFC.

If she’s willing to accommodate Gina Carano at 145, there is no reason to refuse Cris Cyborg the same terms.

However, Rousey, Dana White and the UFC fear losing to Cris Cyborg at 145 lbs.

Recently Cris Cyborg made a mistake agreeing to try 135 lbs for two fights in Invicta. It will delay her chance to fight Rousey while allowing Ronda to improve her already spectacular MMA skills.

Both Ronda and Cris are large women. During her Judo days, Ronda walked around at close to 180 lbs between fights while Cris Cyborg walks around as high as 173 lbs.

Ronda’s extra weight was mostly fat while Cris, even at 173 lbs, has only 5% body fat. That is significant because it is more healthy and effective to cut fat weight than muscle weight.

Rousey, Dana and the UFC know this. It’s why they demand 135 for Cyborg…it offers a weaker Cyborg for Rousey. They were smart to demand this; Cyborg was not smart to accept.

We will soon see how Cris Cyborg’s cut to 135 lbs goes. She will debut at 135 lbs in December for a fight under the Invicta banner.

A better choice would be to hound Ronda Rousey for a fight at 145 lbs like Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) relentlessly trashed talked Sonny Liston in the early ’60s to force him to accept a fight.

I realize Cyborg can’t match Ali’s brilliant trash talking and self promotion. He was the best at that in all of sports. However Cris can do it in her own style. If she dogs Rousey for a fight at 145 lbs, the press and fans will force the UFC to make the Super Fight.

Here’s a sample of Ali’s trash talking and self promotion that was successful in compelling Sonny Liston to accept a fight. Clay was interminable in hounding Sonny, even though he did poorly in the two fights leading up to his first bout with Liston. Most felt Cassius had lost his fight with Doug Jones. The Madison Square audience loudly booed and pelted the ring with debris after it was announced. Later Henry Cooper won the first two rounds vs. Clay then flattened him with a powerful left hook in the fourth. Clay was saved by the bell but out on his feet as his corner carried him to his stool. Trainer Angelo Dundee illegally sliced Clay’s boxing glove to buy him recovery time and also broke the rules by giving the almost unconscious Cassius Clay smelling salts. Clay roared back to stop Cooper in the fifth. Even with these “setbacks” Cassius Clay never stopped pursuing Sonny Liston. The point being that Muhammad Ali did not let anything stop him from fighting Sonny Liston.

Cris Cyborg would be wise to force Ronda Rousey to fight her at 145 lbs with the same determination, vigor and trash talking, albeit in her own style. That is the Women’s Super Fight fans deserve and the stage and weight division that will honestly determine who is the best female MMA fighter.