Cris Cyborg Injury Delays Bantamweight Debut; Waterson-Tiburcio Headlines Invicta FC 10

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Cristiane Justino will not make her bantamweight debut in December as originally anticipated.

Invicta Fighting Championships President Shannon Knapp revealed on Saturday night that “Cyborg” suffered a full thickness rupture of her anterior talofibular ligament approximately three weeks ago. While Knapp said that Justino could potentially avoid surgery, the Brazilian will not be able to compete at Invicta FC 10.

Instead, the Dec. 5 card will be headlined by an atomweight title tilt between reigning champion Michelle Waterson and Herico Tiburcio. Invicta FC 10 will take place at the Arena Theater in Houston and also includes a featherweight showdown between Tonya Evinger and Cindy Dandois in the evening’s co-main event.

Waterson, 28, enters the bout on a six-fight winning streak. The Jackson-Wink MMA product captured the 105-pound strap with a fourth-round submission of Jessica Penne at Invicta FC 5. “The Karatie Hottie” made her first title defense on Sept. 6, stopping Yasuko Tamada in the third round at Invicta FC 8.

A 22-year-old native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tiburcio has won three straight fights and is 8-2 as a professional overall. She last competed on March 30, scoring a unanimous decision against Aline Sattlemayer at MMA Super Heroes 3. The Brazilian has finished six of her victories by way of submission.