Cyborg’s coach is hoping for another fight before a potential UFC title shot

Cris Cyborg Justino is looking for a fight.

In terms of competition Cyborg (17-1), the current Invicta FC and former Stirkeforce featherweight champion, made her highly anticipated UFC debut in May with a violent a first-round knockout over Leslie Smith at UFC 198. She followed this up with another first round destruction, this time against Lina Länsberg in the main event of UFC Fight Night 95.

Not long after, the UFC announced the official introduction of the women’s featherweight division, clearing the way for Justino’s path to UFC gold.

Needless to say, it was along time coming for Justino’s head coach Jason Parillo.

“Like you said it’s a roller coaster ride,” said Parillo during a recent appearance on FanSided’s Extra Rounds Podcast. “Especially when you got someone like Cris Cyborg, who is definitely a phenom. She’s a special athlete and a fighter that will generate over the course of time a lot of attention. She is fun to watch.

“I’ve been alongside her campaigning for this featherweight division for a long time. As far as emotional rollercoasters go, over the past 5-6 years with this girl we’ve had eight opponents out. Just getting a fight alone was a battle a lot of times. Now that the biggest promotion in the game, the UFC, has opened up the doors to that 145-pound division it’s sanctuary to us. It’s ‘ah, here we go.’ This is all the hard work of the years paid off.”

But even with her division finally made available to her in the UFC, a potential anti-doping violation put a massive damper on the possibility of her earning the inaugural 145-pound title. While she was eventually cleared of any wrong doing after receiving a a retroactive Therapeutic Use Exemption, UFC officials had already booked the title fight between Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie for UFC 208.

While De Randamie wound up having her hand raised in the end, earning UFC gold in the process, she immediately revealed she would require surgery on her injured hand before facing Justino.

But don’t count Parillo among those surprised about the newly crowned champion putting off a bout with his fighter.

“What I heard in her speech after her fight, she already pre-meditated everything that happened in that,” said Parillo. “As soon as Cris Cyborg’s name came up, she went straight to hand surgery. I don’t blame her. I’ll be honest with you, I don’t blame her. I don’t blame any girl for not wanting to fight Cris Cyborg.”

“You’re biting off probably more than you can chew if you’re stepping in the cage with her. I don’t want to scare anyone off, because I want someone to fight her. Is that going to happen? Are we going to find an opponent? I believe the UFC has the capability to make that happen, no doubt in my mind.”

So with the champion on the shelf for the foreseeable future, Parillo is hoping Justino gets one more fight in before challenging for the belt

“That’s what I’m hoping comes to play,” said Parillo.” We can’t sit on the shelf and wait. It doesn’t do us no good to sit back. Who knows how long we’d have to wait on that too.

“The UFC will get you the fight. Girls are going to be coming, everyone wants to be in that promotion. For me, I just want to get that fight. I know Cris is going to win, I just want to make sure we got the opponent. The featherweight champion, we don’t have her right now. She’s not there for us right now.”