Open Question: Could Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos be competitive against men at 145?

K.J. Noons seems to believe she can. "I believe (male vs. female fights) wouldn't be that competitive, but every now and then there is a special athletic lady that can compete with men in fighting," said Noons. "I believe Cris is one of them. Can she be competitive if she fought in the WEC? Yes, she could. Would she be champ? If I knew the answer to that, I'd be a billionaire and I wouldn't be fighting." Noons said he's caught Santos getting the better of more than a few training partners during sparring and grappling drills around the gym. "When I look her battle other guys, she's usually beating them up or manhandling them," he said. "When I spar with her, we're just working; I'm giving her work. When she goes full speed on me, she definitely has the power of a man. She throws like a 145-pound man." Would that be the only way she gets challenged in a battle?

30 Jul 2010, 1:29 pm | click here to view more