Justino rep implores White to test 'Cyborg,' offers to step aside for Rousey fight (updated)
The rep for Cristiane “Cyborg†Justino has an offer for UFC President Dana White: Test her, or be quiet.
“We’re willing to test anywhere, anytime, anyplace to prove that she’s clean,†George Prajin, who co-manages Justino with Bellator fighter Tito Ortiz, today told MMAjunkie. “He’s being a little reckless by making these statements without verifying the facts.â€
Prajin defended Justino one day after White accused her of being on performance-enhancing drugs, comparing her appearance to former PRIDE champ and current UFC fighter Wanderlei Silva.
“She’s done so many drugs her head is this big,†White told reporters on Thursday. “Does anyone really think she fights clean?â€
Prajin countered that Justino “made one mistake, and vowed to never make that mistake again†and said she now is a clean athlete.
“We’ll do a blood test, urine test, a hair follicle test – whatever it takes so [White] can say she’s clean and for him to stop making these comments,†Prajin said.
Prajin said in three fights since 2011, when her Strikeforce title was stripped three years ago by UFC parent Zuffa following a failed drug test for stanozolol, Justino has twice been tested and passed. (Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp confirmed the former champ was not flagged for banned substances in a pair of appearances for the promotion.)
“I can guarantee you that knowing ‘Cyborg’ and having worked with her for over two years now that she is not on drugs – she does not use performance-enhancing drugs,†Prajin said. “The issue that she had was regarding a weight cut. Someone in her camp suggested she use something that turned out to be a banned substance. She paid her dues, and she’s back on track.
“A man can fail multiple drug tests and be allowed to fight back in the UFC. A woman fails one drug test, and she’s labeled a drug user for the rest of her life? I don’t see how that’s fair.â€
Justino (12-1), 28, is expected to compete in two title fights next month – one to defend her Invicta featherweight title and another for muay Thai promotion Lion Fight.
Justino, of course, signed with Invicta FC following the end of a one-year suspension for her failed test and after negotiations to fight in the UFC did not produce a contract for an eventual bout with women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC).
White subsequently bashed Ortiz’s role in the process, though he stopped short of targeting “Cyborg.â€
Prajin took the shift in tone as an indication that the UFC isn’t interested in eventually pairing Justino and Rousey, who’s also lobbed several insults at her would-be foe.
Prajin repeated an oft-expressed opinion that the dispute is centered on weight. Justino, he said, risks damage to her body by cutting to the bantamweight limit of 135 pounds and may not be able to fulfill a contract competing in the division. He said Rousey should move up to meet Justino at either 140 pounds or featherweight if she’s victorious at next weekend’s UFC 170 against Sara McMann and then beats No. 2 contender Cat Zingano.
“They don’t want this fight; we’re never going to see this fight,†Prajin said. “They just keep throwing excuses instead of finding solutions.â€
But Prajin also attributed White’s outburst to his well-documented enmity toward Ortiz. In a recent radio interview, the UFC head, who once managed Ortiz prior to promoting him as an early UFC star, said he paid an out-of-pocket bonus to ex-champ Lyoto Machida for beating “The People’s Champ†at UFC 84.
“[White's relationship to Ortiz] should not damage [Justino's] future,†Prajin said. “If Tito was told today that he had to step aside for this fight to happen, then Tito would. Being the president of a company, knowing there’s a fight that everybody wants to see, you can’t hold personal grudges. You need to think about your company first.
“Even if he locked me out of the picture, whatever. I’ve never had any issue with him. But whatever it takes for her to get this fight, all the parties would gladly do what they have to do to make this fight happen.â€
Even before that, however, Prajin said White should get one thing out of the way.
“Test Cris ‘Cyborg’ tomorrow,†he said. “If she fails, then, hey, Dana, we’re sorry. Everything you had to say was justified. There no justification in saying she looks like Wanderlei Silva. That’s cruel. She’s a woman. Things hurt, and I don’t think that fair, and especially if it’s about his grudge with Tito Ortiz. Cris ‘Cyborg’ has never done anything to him.â€
UPDATE: Ortiz sent a statement to MMAjunkie refuting White’s comments and confirming he will step down as Justino’s manager:
“I can live with dana not liking me, but what I can’t live with is dana using me to hurt someone else. I’ve taken abuse, and maybe I deserved some of it, but Cris is a beautiful person and great athlete and doesn’t deserve to be insulted like this.
“I don’t understand how Dana lets his hatred toward me hurt the UFC and the fans by not making this fight. He accused her of still using banned substances and says that she isn’t worthy of fighting Ronda, yet a year ago he personally called me to make the fight happen.
“I never said she would die if she made 135- we just repeated what the Dr. said, that Cris shouldn’t make a career at 135. We offered a three-fight deal…they said no, seven fights or no deal. Regardless, I won’t stand in the way from the fans getting a fight they want, and I won’t hold Cris back. So I’m stepping down as Cris’ manager. Now he can’t hold that against her.
“I’m also tired of Dana accusing Cris of using steroids. I challenge [Dana] to put up or shut up. Test her, or stop lying about her. Cris is a beautiful woman inside and out. Don’t insult her on her looks. She may be tough as nails, but she still has feelings.
“I know people are going to say there goes Tito making this about him again, but it’s not. It’s about Cris ‘Cyborg,’ the baddest woman on the earth – soon to be multi-sport world champion.â€
