Strikeforce 145-pound champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos was expected to make her first title defense on Nov. 7 at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffmann Estates, Ill. According to multiple reports, she has had to pull out of the card due to a shoulder injury she sustained while competing at the 2009 Abu Dhabi Championships on Sept. 27 in Barcelona.
The 24-year-old Brazilian was tentatively set to face either Marlos Coenen or Erin Toughill in what would have been her first title defense. The fight most likely would have been part of the televised portion of the card which will air live on CBS and headlined by Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers.
Santos won the title by defeating the media-anointed “face of women’s MMA” Gina Carano at “Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg” on Aug. 15, in San Jose, Calif. Santos stopped the brawling beauty with powerful punches with just one second left in the first round.
Fortunately for her, Cyborg’s shoulder injury will not require surgery. Instead, she will undergo a brief rehabilitation process. Stay tuned to PROMMMA.INFO for further updates on the Nov. 7 Strikeforce card.
By: Jack Bratcher