Cris Cyborg says UFC nutritionist encouraged her to take birth control pills to make cutting weight easier, the pills, however, nearly caused her death. (Photo : Getty Images/Buda Mendes)
After word spread that Cris 'Cyborg' Justino turned down two UFC title bouts to prioritize her health recovery, the current Invicta FC Featherweight Champion said a UFC nutritionist encouraged her to take birth control pills that eventually ruined her health.
Heading into her UFC catchweight fight against Lina Lansberg last September, nutritionist George Lockhart recommended the pills for Justino for her to cut weight but even after winning the fight, the 31-year-old said there were negative repercussions for taking the pills.
In an interview with MMA Fighting, Justino said that she had to cut weight to reach the weight limit but felt sick after her victory. It came to a point where she went to the doctor and the nurses were not able to get her blood with it being so thick, it would not come out.
'Cyborg' added she almost died while losing weight in the bathtub. She had to cut 24 pounds in one week to be qualified for the catchweight division. Originally, Justino has fought consistently in the featherweight division in the Invicta FC and Strikeforce.
Justino, after almost feeling death with her excessive weight loss, said she does not want to fight in the catchweight division anymore and would only fight in her division, the featherweight division.
She turned down a featherweight title fight for UFC 208 in February in Brooklyn after only getting 10 weeks' notice prior to the fight. Justino said she would fight with only 12 weeks' notice as she is still recovering from severe depression and the effects of her excessive weigh cut.
Despite Justino not being available for the inaugural UFC featherweight division, UFC president Dana White said that the division would push through even without the decorated women's fighter, as reported by SB Nation's Bloody Elbow.
'Cyborg' said she would ready to fight in March and will be soon fighting in the division she used to dominate.
