Gina Carano, Cris Santos” src=”http://www.cagepotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/6a00d8341c630a53ef0120a4f9f679970b-800wi-e1304026043355.jpg” alt=” width=”500″ height=”266″ />

(Gus. Fucking. Johnson. Pic: LA Times)

It was with a somewhat heavy heart we brought you news recently that women’s middleweight face-wrecker Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos was playing footsie with WWE, assumedly about joining the company’s stable of “divas.” In light of that, we’re pleased to report that Santos tells Tatame this week that she’ll return to the world of legitimate fighting in August … except … not with Strikeforce. From what we’re able to gather from the written report, Cyborg’s contract has expired and she can’t fight in America until she re-ups with SF. Not sure why, maybe some sort of non-compete clause or because there is just no other place for top-level women’s MMA fighters to ply their trade on this god-forsaken continent.

Instead, she’s nearly set to fight at an event in Brazil, against an opponent to be named later. After the jump, Cyborg’s manager elaborates, plus some notes about the return of former UFC middleweight Ivan Salaverry.

“It’s 99 percent set,” Rudimar Fedrigo told Tatame. “It’ll be an event promoted by Helio Dipp, that will probably take place at Santa Catarina on August 6, but we don’t have an opponent yet.”

Yeah, not sure what much of that means. One thing we do know for sure, Strikeforce better get the lead out and re-sign it’s top female fighter.

In other news, UFC veteran and all-around strange dude Ivan Salaverry – who wore brown before Forrest, did cartwheels before Diego and blew kisses to the crowd before … uh … nobody’s really picked up the ball and run with that one, huh? – will reportedly come out of retirement to compete at Bamma 6 in the UK next month. Salaverry hasn’t been seen in an MMA cage since losing to Rousimar Palhares at UFC 84, but will step in for an injured Phil Baroni to take on middleweight Matt Ewin on the British promotion’s May 21 show.

“I have wanted to get to the place in my life where I could compete 100 percent of the time,” Salaverry said through his management. “That doesn’t necessarily mean fighting but, for now that is where my passion is. That’s where I want to be. I miss it and as long as I feel healthy on all levels, that is what I’m going to do … I’m coming there to fight and represent all that I stand for, then afterwards, if Matt will do me the honor? I’d like to have a beer or a few of them with him.”