Following the cancellation of the UFC Featherweight Title bout between champion Max Holloway and Frankie Edgar, a new main event has been set for UFC 222. That main event according to MMA Fighting will see UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino defend the gold against Yana Kunitskaya.
Cyborg (19-1-0-1NC) is making the second defense of her championship, last defending it against former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm at UFC 219. Cyborg is also a former Invicta FC Featherweight Champion and former Strikeforce Women’s Featherweight Champion, defeating Marloes Coenen and Gina Carano to win both belts. Cyborg has only seen one fight go the distance in the last nine-plus years and that was the bout against Holm at UFC 219.
Kunitskaya (10-3-0-1NC) is making her UFC debut in this fight and does so having won two of her last five fights. Kunitskaya is a former Invicta FC Bantamweight Champion, having defeated Raquel Pa’aluhi by unanimous decision at Invicta FC 25 to win the strap. Kunitskaya has only seen two of her professional MMA fights go the distance and the competitor has a 1-1-0 record in those contests.
In the co-main event, former UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar is going to be taking on #3 ranked Brian Ortega.
UFC 222 takes place on Saturday, March 3 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Cyborg and Yana Kunitskaya headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
