The quote, “Famous faces are many, but only a few are carved into the mountain of greatness,” resonates deeply within the combat sports industry, which has evolved over centuries. This remarkable journey has given fans countless memorable fighters who have become household names across the globe. But do their accomplishments truly earn them a place on the Mount Rushmore of combat sports, where only a select few champions can be immortalized? It’s a controversial question, one that’s resurfaced in recent news, especially following UFC President Dana White’s announcement last month during UFC’s iconic Sphere event.

White proudly revealed his Mount Rushmore, which included the names “Jon Jones,” “Ronda Rousey,” “Conor McGregor,” and “Georges St-Pierre.” However, this list faced significant criticism, as it deviated from the one he shared back in 2020, which featured former UFC women’s featherweight champion Amanda Nunes. Over time, fans seemed to forget this contentious list, but the debate has been reignited once again.

In an exclusive conversation with EssentiallySports’ Andrew Whitelaw, former UFC and current Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg shared her thoughts, naturally touching on the topic of her own Mount Rushmore of women’s MMA. Whitelaw posed the question, asking the Brazilian-American champion who she would place on her personal list of the greatest female fighters. After taking a moment to reflect, Cyborg responded, “Amanda Nunes.” This choice, while unexpected, is admirable and highlights Cyborg’s humility and sportsmanship, given that in her decade-long MMA career, Nunes remains one of the few fighters to have defeated her.

Cyborg continued by expanding her list, revealing, “I think she did great for the sport. I love Namajunas; her fight style, I love her fights. Rose Namajunas, you know.” By including Namajunas, Cyborg highlighted her admiration for Rose’s fighting style and contributions to the sport.

Cyborg went on to name Holly Holm, her former opponent and the first fighter to break Ronda Rousey‘s undefeated streak in the UFC, as another selection for her Mount Rushmore. Holm earned Cyborg’s praise: “Then we get Holly—she did amazing fights here. She was the underdog,” highlighting her fight career in Australia. After listing several names, Whitelaw asked Cyborg why she hadn’t included herself on her Mount Rushmore, given her legendary status in women’s MMA. Cyborg modestly declined to do so.

Much like Dana White, Cyborg likely has her rationale for omitting Ronda Rousey from her Mount Rushmore, though she chose not to delve into it. Unlike White, who recently explained his reasons for including Rousey on his Mount Rushmore in an open interview, expressing his perspective.

Dana White on Ronda Rousey and her place on his Mount Rushmore

Being the head honcho of the UFC has given Dana White enough insight to predict newcomers in the sport, and he has often been right. However, back in 2011, White famously stated, “Women would never fight in the UFC.” That assertion was ultimately challenged by former Olympic judoka Ronda Rousey, who captured attention during the Beijing Olympics before signing with the UFC in 2012, becoming the first woman to do so.

This forced White to create a women’s bantamweight division, where Rousey became a force to be reckoned with during her illustrious five-year career, defending her title seven times until Holly Holm claimed the championship with a knockout victory at UFC 193. Emphasizing these facts, Dana White silenced Rousey’s critics and defended her authenticity on his Mount Rushmore list. Speaking to MMA Junkie last month, he said, “If you look at Ronda Rousey, which I’m sure everybody goes crazy, ‘Uh, Ronda Rousey,’ women aren’t fighting here.”

White further added, “The knockout that happened last weekend doesn’t happen without Ronda Rousey. Ronda Rousey opened the door for all women and became a huge superstar for us, the biggest superstar in the history of female fighting. As far as the gates, pay-per-views, attention, all of it, nobody was bigger than Ronda. She started it all.”

What are your thoughts on Cris Cyborg‘s Mount Rushmore list? Do you consider the omission of UFC and WWE superstar Ronda Rousey disrespectful to the former champion, or do you find Cyborg’s selections to be justifiable? Drop your opinion below.