Sara McMann sees a struggle with Cris Cyborg on the horizon, however she desires to earn it.
After an virtually 10-year UFC tenure, McMann (13-6) signed a multifight take care of Bellator and can compete within the featherweight division.
The 42-year-old Olympic silver medalist in wrestling is focusing on a March return, however want to get her toes moist earlier than eyeing 145-pound champion Cyborg (26-2 MMA, 5-0 BMMA).
“I believe I’d wish to struggle 145 a few times earlier than a title struggle simply to get my bearings and alter to something that could be a little bit bit totally different,” McMann advised MMA Junkie. “I don’t suppose it’s going to be that totally different, however I don’t need my first struggle to be – if there are any surprises, I might reasonably it not occur in a title struggle. But in addition, it’s actually essential to me to indicate that I deserve and earn what I’ve, and so I don’t need to are available and simply skip the road. I very a lot consider that I’ll beat the individuals in line, so it is sensible to me to construct that struggle.”
McMann suffered setbacks to UFC dual-champion Amanda Nunes and former bantamweight champs Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate and Julianna Peña. But when she will notch a win over Cyborg, she sees it as an enormous feather in her cap.
“Should you beat her, you’re the greatest featherweight,” McMann mentioned. “I do know her and Amanda fought, however I view that struggle as – standing in entrance of one another and simply going blow for blow, that would have gone both approach. Cyborg stood toe-to-toe with tons of individuals and gone blow-for-blow and it labored out her approach. So, I believe you struggle her and Amanda ten instances, and 5 instances it’s going to go Cyborg’s approach, 5 instances it’s going to go Nunes’ approach. It’s not that she was so dominant. It’s type of a silly method to struggle, however individuals do.”
