The Telegraph

Cris Cyborg: There is not any distinction between our our bodies and different athletes’

Cris Cyborg, the featherweight world champion, is admired around the globe for her fearlessness as a combined martial arts (MMA) fighter, however the 35-year-old has fears about how body-image pressures have an effect on younger ladies. The Brazilian is making ready to defend her Bellator title towards Australian Arlene Blencowe on Thursday night time on the Mohegan Solar Resort in Connecticut. “You see a number of women who aren’t consuming, [who] really feel like they should be skinny,” she instructed Telegraph Sport. “The media, Instagram — none of it’s actual. They photoshop the whole lot. You must be pleased with who you’re, not with what others need you to be. I’ve had issues in my life after I was youthful however I like who I’m now. I care for my physique and I’m wholesome.” After 15 years within the sport, Cyborg says it is just just lately that her occupation isn’t given a second look. “I’ve been pleased with my physique, however folks would have a look at you bizarre. That is ten years in the past. Particularly once you’d say you’re a fighter, it was all the time a response of ‘what?’ However now fighters are commonplace. “Once I instructed my mum I wished to be a fighter she thought I might find yourself on the road. It was a distinct time. My mum didn’t prefer it to start with, however as soon as she noticed it was an actual sport she now likes it.” Cyborg was the primary lady within the sport to say the “grand slam” of titles in Bellator, Strikeforce, the UFC, and Invicta, the all-female struggle league. She has usually blitzed by way of opponents, with 18 knockouts in her 22 victories. Her standing and maturity is mirrored in the best way she carries herself, and her work away from the cage with charities and kids in Africa. There’s an aura about her. Not simply of destruction, however as an envoy for the game. “I believe you’ve a number of several types of guys and women they usually determined for themselves which physique they like. I’ve all the time had this physique, I began coaching after I was 12 years outdated,” she defined. “I believe an important factor is to really feel nice. “When you carry a bit extra weight and really feel nice then that’s you. Make your self blissful. When you’re pleased with your self then it doesn’t matter what folks say. “I believe ladies on this sport have an athletic physique. I like that look and I believe all the women do. You’re in form. I don’t suppose there’s distinction between our our bodies and different athletes’.” Girls’s MMA has exploded lately and Cyborg is browsing the crest of a wave which she helped to create. “I really feel so blessed to be combating at this second. Once I began my profession there have been no fighters, no occasions. I all the time believed in it, although, that it will develop. Now you’ll be able to see folks love ladies’s MMA. I do know it’ll develop and develop and I’m actually blissful to be a part of this story. Sure, I consider we get respect. It grows. As soon as we had the chance we confirmed up.” By dint of her success, Cyborg has grow to be a goal for each rising star, with Bellator having grown its 145lb roster into a strong line-up. It solely makes Cyborg extra formidable, extra decided. There has even been discuss of an try and grow to be a ladies’s boxing world champion. Katie Taylor, the Irish fighter who’s undisputed light-weight champion, has been touted as one attainable opponent. It might be a seismic match-up. “It might be one other factor for my legacy to be a world champion in boxing and MMA,” Cyborg mentioned. “I need to present everybody you’ll be able to obtain something with arduous work. You must belief and have religion. For now, I’m not occupied with Katie Taylor. I’m not specializing in it.” Have there been discussions with Eddie Hearn, Taylor’s promoter ? “We didn’t discuss to him however possibly Scott Coker did. I will let Audi Attar [her manager] resolve what’s subsequent. For positive, it’s my dream to do boxing. Katie Taylor subsequent could be nice, however I’ve my struggle on Thursday.” “However everybody is aware of boxing is a dream for me.” Bellator 249 is stay on Sky Sports activities Principal Occasion from 3am on Friday morning.