Later this month, Cris Cyborg takes on Lina Lansberg in the main event of UFC Fight Night 95, but it won't be to defend her 145-pound world title. That's because the UFC doesn't have a women's 145-pound division and, according to Dana White, they won't be implementing one. Instead, she will be competing in a 140-pound catchweight bout, her second such fight with the promotion. It may be her last though because Cyborg says she is close to no longer being able to make the weight cut.

Speaking with FightHubTV, Cyborg discussed the difficulty she has in making the 140-pound catchweight limit and how much longer she will be able to do it.

"Almost two years I've been doing dieting and working with George Lockhart and for me to make 140 [pounds] it's a big challenge. I'm not 18 years old anymore. I'm 30 years old it's really hard. I started this camp now - for 140 again - I started running and I said, ‘man, after this fight I want a vacation, I want a break,' because I need it. To make 140, I have to run six miles every day and train every day...

"I'm supposed to defend my belt at 145 and Invicta wanted more time to develop the girls for 145. I would like to defend my belt...I can make 140 but I think I'm very close [to being done] because it's too much for my body."

Cyborg is the Invicta FC featherweight champion and considered by many to be the number one pound for pound female MMA fighter in the world today. Through a special promotional deal between the UFC and Invicta (in which the UFC pays for Cyborg's fight purses in both promotions) Cyborg remains the Invicta champion but she hasn't defended her title since January, instead taking a fight in May at UFC 198, an 81 second demolition of Leslie Smith in a 140 lb. catchweight bout.

After this fight, video surfaced of Cyborg crying during her weight cut to make the 140 lb. catchweight limit. The brutal nature of the video caused many in the MMA community to permanently put to bed the talk of Cyborg making the cut to 135 lbs. It also engendered discussion on whether even the cut to 140 lbs. was a good idea. But for now, Cyborg must continue to make the difficult weight cut until such time as the UFC decides to implement a women's 145-pound weight class, something Cyborg is hoping for.

"For me, it would be my dream to make my division, 145. And you don't see any champion go down for fights. Go up. McGregor went up. A lot of guys go up, they don't go down in weight... But I know the girls in the 135 top 10 don't want to want to go fight me. But I hope and have a dream that my division will be in the UFC one day."

It's coincidental that Cyborg now finds herself competing repeatedly in the non-existant 140-pound weight division as arguably her biggest MMA win came ove former women's MMA star Gina Carano, whose Strikeforce bouts were predominantly contested at a catchweight of 140 lbs (when Carano could even make that). For now, it seems like the UFC is content to follow that model and continue to promote Cyborg in 140-pound showcase fights. Whether Cyborg is willing to keep killing herself to make weight for opponents with minimal name value like Leslie Smith and Lina Lansberg is up in the air.

"I never choose my opponents but I think the biggest fight that everybody wants to watch, the fans want to watch is me and Ronda. Why do I make 140? I make 140 for superfights. Not just to be world champion of my division and sit there and wait. If I can make a superfight so when I finish my career I can say, ‘you remember this fight with Ronda, with Holly Holm,' something nice that I can talk about with my kids or my friends. I'm open to make superfights."

Cris Cyborg takes on Lina Lansberg at UFC Fight Night 95 on September 24. You can watch the full interview below.

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Money fights. Luke Rockhold was offered a fight but refused to take it because "the money was shit."

Close call. Duke Roufus would have quit coaching had Anthony Pettis lost his fight with Charles Oliveira.

EXTRA CREDIT READING

Breakdown. Jack Slack of Fightland breaks down Miocic vs. Overeem.

MEDIA STEW

Ariel's fantastic sit down with CM Punk

Embedded 3.

Overeem highlight

Brutal knockout for your viewing pleasure.

Sage getting put on blast for his lifting technique.

LISTEN UP

JBS

Anik and Flo

Tony Ferg

TWEETS

They do not.

For real, I know AJ deserves the shot but I'd love to see DC-Bader.

Dang so Cowboy and Lawler get on 205 in NY before the title fight between me and DC? — Anthony Johnson (@Anthony_Rumble) September 7, 2016

Bellator here he comes.

Officially no longer with the @UFC. Thanks @IngrainedMedia for your tireless work. https://t.co/dQLbAceMoY — Shane Carwin (@ShaneCarwin) September 8, 2016

From @YediotAhronot my @BellatorMMA debut will be in Tel-Aviv November 10 be there pic.twitter.com/WRhDzF16lZ — noad lahat (@Neo_MMA) September 7, 2016

Take these rumors how you'd like.

Per my source: The biggest negotiation point for McGregor/Alvarez is McGregor wanting to hold onto his FW title. Defend it early next year. — #Dizz © (@TalkMMA) September 7, 2016

Also, to my understanding McGregor turned down a movie role to fight Alvarez at MSG — #Dizz © (@TalkMMA) September 7, 2016

Evans Kennedy is good matchmaking if true.

#UFC205

Alvarez vs Mcgregor (in works)

Lawler vs Cerrone

Weidman vs Romero

Evans vs Kennedy

T. Alves vs Iaquinta — #Dizz © (@TalkMMA) September 7, 2016

So grateful for my amazing fans & team for sticking with me through the thick and thin. Can't wait to pick up better than we left off @gatsupplements @everlast @monsterenergy #GatAthlete #CompetesHarder @postmanlife #unbroken A photo posted by Jon Bones Jones (@jonnybones) on Sep 7, 2016 at 3:38pm PDT

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Andrey Koreshkov (19-1-0) vs. Douglas Lima (27-6-0); Bellator 164, November 10.

Robbie Lawler (27-11-0) vs. Donald Cerrone (31-7-0); UFC 205, November 12.





TODAY IN MMA HISTORY 1990: Kenichi Tanaka submitted Kazuhiro Sakamoto with a kimura to become the inaugural Shooto 145 lb. champion. 1995: Ken Shamrock defended his UFC Superfight championship in a draw with Oleg Taktarov at UFC 7: The Brawl in Buffalo. The tournament that evening was won by Marco Ruas who demonstrated the utility of leg kicks by chopping downPaul Varelans in the finals. That night was the second and final time Michael Buffer did in-ring announcing for the UFC. 2007: Quinton Jackson unified his UFC light heavyweight championship with the Pride 205 lb. title when he won a unanimous decision over Dan Henderson at UFC 75. This was also the event where Joe Rogan famously proclaimed "Houston Alexander is for real!" after Alexander stopped Alessio Sakara with knees and punches in the first round. It was the final victory in the UFC career of Alexander.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Continuing to give Cyborg squash matches at 140 makes no sense. At this point, it is either some weird form of punishment for their disagreements with her in the past or Dana White clinging to the idea that she can make 135 pounds when clearly she can't. Make a 145-pound division. Let her stomp people out until fighters grow to fill the gap. If you build it, they will come. And if you give her a belt, then the Holly Holm's and Miesha Tate's of the world will have an actual reason to go fight her. I mean, you're paying for her fights anyway. Give her a belt and stop this farce.

That's all folks. Have a good one.

If you find something you'd like to see in the Morning Report, just hit me up on Twitter @JedKMeshew and let me know about it. Also follow MMAFighting on Instagram and add us on Snapchat at MMA-Fighting because we post dope things and you should enjoy them.