As Good as Cris "Cyborg" Santos Is, Could that Talent Be Detrimental To Women's MMA?
A dream match—both in skill and aesthetics—between Strikeforce fighters Ronda Roussey and Miesha Tate seems inevitable for 2012.
However, on December 17, diehard MMA fans were once again reminded of what time it is … Cyborg time.
After an 18-month layoff, Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos needed just 16 seconds to crush Hiroko Yamanaka. The dominant performance was a mere reminder that heading into what could be the biggest year for women’s MMA, the Strikeforce featherweight champion is both the best—and possibly the worst—thing for combat sports.
THE GOOD
Total Domination
The appeal of MMA in previous years was the undeniably unpredictable nature of the sport. As mainstream acceptance grows, however, the volatility that hooked old fans will not be enough to sustain and fuel growth for the long haul.
The sport needs dominant champions. The sport needs fighters talented enough to lord over a division and make fans shell out cash for tickets, pay-per-views or set their DVR’s to. Cris “Cyborg” fulfills that role. She is as dominant a champion as we’ve had.
In 11 career victories, she’s finished nine opponents. Her throttling of former MMA women’s poster girl Gina Carano—which should’ve been no surprise to people who know the sport—was one of the most watched fights in women’s history.
“Cyborg” wins and does it convincingly … in the same way Mike Tyson did when he was considered the baddest man on the planet. People can get behind a winner, and the public seems to be warming to her presence.
NOTE: You can read Anthony’s full story in the April issue, which is available now.
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