Report: Cyborg vs Braekhus planned for undercard if McGregor vs Mayweather happens

For the last several months, the prospect of a McGregor vs Mayweather boxing bout has been tossed around between the two fighting moneymakers online. No serious negotiations have seen the light of day, leading fans and pundits to wonder if this is just smart marketing to increase their presence and bargaining power. It seems like every couple weeks, the two are linked in a multitude of media postings, keeping the buzz for a potential match-up between them at the forefront of social media.

Champions.co posted information from a "source with knowledge of the fight" that negotiations between the two are more advanced than previously reported, and are planning for a 2017 event. They included an interesting tidbit was that a bout between Cristiane Justino (AKA Cris Cyborg) and boxing champ Cecilia Braekhus is 'in consideration' for the undercard of the possible cross over bout.

Cyborg has finally made her way to the UFC, and will be headlining her first UFC card in Brasilia next month, but the ladies of the bantamweight division that went on record that they'd be willing to face her in superfights at 140 pounds, have either had fight obligations interfere with plans or decided against facing the Invicta featherweight champion. With the path of destruction that Cris has cut through WMMA, it's easy to understand the hesitation.

The most desired opponent of all for Justino has been former UFC women's bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey, but "Rowdy" has stated on numerous occasions that the fight won't happen unless Cris makes the 135 pound bantamweight limit. For years, Cyborg has pursued the fight to no avail, taking to social media to alternately praise her and poke fun at her.

In the late 90's, there was a similar rivalry in boxing between Christy Martin and Lucia Rijker. For years the two went back and forth, mainly with Rijker chasing the dream of facing the most important woman in boxing at the time, but the fight never came to pass. There were many issues involved, but Rijker and a large contingent of fans attributed it to Martin's fear of the undefeated Dutch slugger.

(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

The two would finally trade blows, but it wasn't in an official capacity. At an open workout in LA Boxing Club, four days before Christy faced Belinda Laracuente in March of 2000, Lucia showed up and a scuffle ensued. Martin says she was sucker punched. Eyewitnesses say she shoved Rijker first. The sad thing is, that was the only "fight" the two ever had.

Cyborg's pursuit of Rousey is very reminiscent of Rijker's pursuit of Martin, as well as Rijker's lack of quality opponents and proper promotion in general. If the fight with Braekhus somehow comes to fruition, perhaps we'll see an additional avenue of combat for WMMA's most feared woman.