Coach: I don’t see anyone else that is tougher for Cris Cyborg than Holly Holm

Over the weekend at UFC 222, Cris Cyborg successfully defended her UFC women’s featherweight title against Yana Kunitskaya by scoring a first-round knockout. And for her striking coach Jason Parillo, no one else would be able to pose a legitimate threat to her, outside of one woman: former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm.

Holm fought and lost to Cyborg via unanimous decision at UFC 219 last December, but she was the first fighter to go the distance with the current women’s 145-pound champion since 2008.

“The style that I knew would always pose the biggest threat for Cris is something like a Holly Holm,” Parillo told MMAjunkie. “I knew Holly Holm was the toughest fighter out there. Still, to date, I don’t see anyone else out there that’s tougher for her than Holly Holm.”

One of the options that have been presented to Cyborg is a possible fight against Amanda Nunes. It is a fight that UFC president Dana White says he would do instead of having Nunes go through her scheduled matchup against Raquel Pennington at UFC 224 this May in Brazil.

Stylistically, Parillo loves the idea of a Cyborg vs. Nunes fight, but he believes his fighter would still be the one to dominate.

“The person who is going to beat Cris Cyborg is Cris Cyborg, or (she retires). Time catches up to all of us,” Parillo said. “But for the most part, Cris Cyborg, I don’t see it. Amanda Nunes, she doesn’t have a – she has a good style. She’s a good fighter with the way she took out Ronda (Rousey). But she’s got a style that’s absolutely perfect for Cris.”

“Cris is going to fight her fight and go out there and do what she does and get it done.”

After her win over Kunitskaya at UFC 222, the 32-year-old Cyborg now holds a record of 20-1 (1 NC), with 17 wins by stoppage.