UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion Germaine De Randamie hasn’t been heard from much since winning the title at UFC 208.
The silence has now been broken by the champion, who is planning on returning to the women’s bantamweight division.
“There is still a lot of unclear about my hand,” De Randamie wrote on a now deleted Instagram post. “I have an appointment with the doctor on June 14, and it will be decided whether or not to be operated. This option should also be considered for me because there is a great chance that my tendons (and) nerves can cause such damage that I could not use my hand more optimally. During the negotiations on the battle with Holly Holm, I said in advance that after this fight I want to return to my natural weight class of (135 pounds). My task has not been completed yet. The UFC has promised me that this would be no problem and I can just return to my natural weight class. This is why I am focusing on this moment.”
Cyborg has been claiming that De Randamie has been running from her, while De Randamie’s manager says that the champion refuses to fight her for her multiple drug test failures.
According to De Randamie, the two were set to fight until the latest drug test failure put those plans to an end.
“The fight between me and Cris ‘Cyborg’ was offered to me last November – even then, I had all my reservations but I accepted the fight,” De Randamie wrote. “‘Cyborg’ has rejected the fight because she could not get the weight of (145 pounds) in twelve weeks time. One month later, she was visited by the USADA and did not pass the test. The rest of the story is known. My reason to reject the fight now has nothing but nothing at all to do with my fear. I believe that if you want to do sports you do this without any means that can affect the muscle mass. I – as a top athlete – always trained, always watched my food and put 18 years of my life on sports, without using just one means that is not allowed.”
De Randamie is the first and thus far, only UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion, there are no title bouts or divisional fights scheduled in the near future.
