Cris Cyborg is happy with how things are going under Bellator MMA promotion.
The former Ultimate Fighting Championship star made her debut last Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, California , the same venue where she was brutally finished by Amanda Nunes.
It was a sort of redemption for the Brazilian-American fighter as she erased the nightmare of her UFC 232 defeat by knocking out Julia Budd in the fourth round to win the 145-pound championship.
This made her the first mixed martial artist to capture a title in Bellator MMA, UFC, Strikeforce, and Invicta FC.
Following the historic win, Cyborg recalled her knockout loss to Nunes and shared she did not feel sad after losing her UFC gold.
“When I lost that title, I got out of the cage, I was not feeling sad,” Cyborg told the media (via MMA Fighting).
“I’m speaking real. I feel like something got off my back. I walk over there I did an interview, I know all the walls have the writings, I remembered every single part [of fighting at The Forum].”
“I did the interview, and I was not sad.”
Meant To Be
Now that she became the only grand slam champion in MMA history, Cyborg said losing the UFC title has opened a new door for bigger things.
She claimed she felt like she was a slave during her time with the Nevada-based promotion.
“I feel like everything happen for a reason. If I not lost that belt that day, I was not here now champion in Bellator.”
“Here I’m happy. There I was not happy. I was working, I feel I was a slave, and I was not happy. Here I’m happy, something I choose to be.”
“When I came here and heard I was going to fight at The Forum, I said God is amazing.”
“I lost my belt here, I [came] back here and fight, I got a title. I worked really hard for this fight.”
“I always work hard and I feel happy to have the opportunity and make history. This is going to be the only fighter to get four titles.”
Don’t Quit
If there is one lesson she learned from getting dethroned in the UFC to becoming a grand slam champ, that is the importance of not quitting.
“It just means we never quit. It doesn’t matter how hard it is during your career, I had a lot of downs, good times in my career but I don’t quit.”
“It makes me strong. This is what I like to show my fans. Don’t quit. Make it strong and it’s hard. It’s hard every time.”
“I’m really happy to work with Bellator.”
“This is my new home. A new era. I don’t have any problems around. The boss wants to work with the fighters.”
“I don’t have any problem. Just very thankful to be here working for Bellator,” Cyborg ended.
(Featured Image Source: Instagram/ Cris Cyborg and YouTube/ Boston Herald)