Manager optimistic UFC will book ‘Cyborg vs Holm’ for UFC 219 on Dec. 30

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s featherweight champion Cristiane Justino recently told the mixed martial arts (MMA) universe that she was no longer negotiating a potential Holly Holm fight, after finding out the promotion wanted to cut her pay.

More on how that went down here.

But hope is not lost, according to manager George Prajin, who acknowledged that “Cyborg” was miffed over the salary snub, but insists the wheels are still in motion to make a return to the Octagon before the end of the year.

"Emotions can run high during negotiations, but to clarify things, the UFC has not made an offer for a fight at UFC 219," Prajin told ESPN.com. "We are still in talks. Cris wants to fight Holly Holm on Dec. 30. That is what we are working towards and we are optimistic it will happen."

Nothing with Justino comes easy (blame this guy).

Holm has been jumping back and forth between the bantamweight and featherweight divisions, recently re-joining the 145-pound weight class when former champion Germaine de Randamie skipped town to avoid the Brazilian.

UFC 219 takes place Dec. 30, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.