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Cris Cyborg is still the baddest woman on the planet.
The reigning women’s featherweight champion needed less than one round to make short work of Yana Kunitskaya in the UFC 222 main event.
The fight actually came together for both competitors on short notice after men’s featherweight champion Max Holloway suffered an injury that forced him out of the main event.
While she was as much as a 17-to-1 underdog according to some oddsmakers, Kunitskaya gave it her best effort as she grabbed an ankle during the first exchange and actually took Cyborg to the ground.
It was a short lived advantage as Cyborg worked her way back to the feet, reversed positions against the cage and then began her assault.
Cyborg blasted Kunitskaya with a few punches right down the middle and it was clear the Russian featherweight wanted no part of the champion’s power.
A few moments later, Cyborg connected with one more hard right hand that put Kunitskaya down on the mat and that was the beginning of the end.
Cyborg followed her to the ground where she unleashed a vicious series of punches and hammer fists until the referee saw enough to swoop in and save Kunitskaya from absorbing any more punishment.
CYBORG!!!@CrisCyborg gets it done at #UFC222 in the FIRST ROUND!! pic.twitter.com/JRdd766Yv5
— UFC (@ufc) March 4, 2018
The stoppage came at 3:25 into the first round.
RELATED > UFC 222: Cyborg vs. Kunitskaya Full Results and Live Fight Stats
Afterwards, Cyborg celebrated her second straight title defense as UFC champion and then turned her attention to another fighter holding a belt who has been mentioning her name frequently as an opponent for the future.
“I’ll wait for Amanda [Nunes]. Amanda’s calling me out,” Cyborg said while addressing the UFC women’s bantamweight champion. “Now I’m here waiting on her. I know Brazil against Brazil, for me it’s sad, but Dana White wants to make this fight and she called me out.
“When you call Cyborg out, you have to handle it. ”
“When you call Cyborg out, you have to handle it.” @CrisCyborg wants @Amanda_Leoa next ?
Who else just got legitimately scared? #UFC222 pic.twitter.com/yhHVTXguwP
— UFC (@ufc) March 4, 2018
Cyborg vs. Nunes was already previously rumored until the UFC needed a short notice main event to fill the card on Saturday night. Nunes is now expected to face Raquel Pennington at UFC 224 in May but if she can get through that fight with a win, it’s entirely possible a champion vs. champion super fight could be on tap later this year.
This article first appeared at News – MMAWeekly.com
