Ex-Strikeforce champ Cris Cyborg blasts critics who claim 'she's like a man'

Are you one of the many mixed martial arts (MMA) fans who enjoys poking fun at Cristiane Justino, the former Strikeforce Women's Featherweight Champion?

"Cyborg" wants you to know, she hears you.

Whatever pleasure it brings you to say 'she's like a man,' it doesn't bother the Brazilian powerhouse one bit. In fact, it only motivates her to train harder.

That's according to a recent conversation Justino had with Tatame.com, where she blasted her critics while answering the call of Ronda Rousey, who's been talking up a potential superfight against the Chute Boxe product when she returns from her drug suspension.

Those comments, after the jump.

"I want to fight, I’m motivated and training a lot. This year off hasn’t changed one bit. Talk good or bad things about me, I just want you to talk about me because that proves I still bother people. I wanna thank my fans. About the critics, you can go on because that only motivates me to get better and better. If you say ‘she’s like a man’ it’s because they can’t admit a woman can hit another woman like a man in the Octagon. I wanna thank Chute Boxe and all the people who are with me. I wanna fight and I’m prepared to fight anyone."

"Cyborg" is serving a year-long suspension that dates back to her 16-second knockout win over Hiroko Yamanaka back on Dec. 17, 2011, in San Diego, Calif., which was later ruled a "No Contest" because of the banned substance detected in her post-fight urinalysis.

Justino, unsuccessfully, requested to have the suspension, which also included a $2,500 fine, trimmed to just six months. The result was a bitter pill to swallow, but one that the Brazilian already seems to be trying to put in the rear-view mirror.

For now.

Anyone think we'll eventually see a Rousey vs. Justino superfight, which could potentially be the biggest female fight of all time?