UFC
Amanda Nunes’ Days as a Two-Division UFC Champion Could Be Numbered
Joe Kozlowski began his career as a sports journalist in 2013 and joined Sportscasting in 2019. He covers the NBA and soccer for Sportscasting, with specialties in legacy NBA players such as Michael Jordan and Premier League club Arsenal. Off the clock, he's a Kansas City Chiefs fan and a hockey goalie. Growing up loving Shaquille O'Neal and reading everything he could about the great big men throughout NBA history — likely because he was still tall enough, at least relative to his peers, to play center — he's continued to love learning about and exploring the historical and story-based sides of the basketball archives. As for Arsenal, Joe spent a year living in London and latched onto the local support of the club. He's barely missed a match since, loving Arsene Wenger, enduring the Banter Era, and following along through rebuilds. The Premier League interest developed into a passionate following of the Champions League, Europe's big five league, and international soccer as a whole when played at the highest level. Regardless of the sport, Joe is captivated by the stories of athletes beyond the box scores and how they push the envelope — both in terms of what we think a human is capable of accomplishing and how they find new competitive tactics to win.
Get to know Joe Kozlowski betterPublished16 Jun 2020
While everyone who steps into the octagon is tough, Amanda Nunes sits in a league of her own. The Brazilian hasn’t lost a match since 2014 and holds both the women’s bantamweight and women’s featherweight titles. Her reign as champion, however, could be coming to an end sooner rather than later.
That doesn’t mean Amanda Nunes will lose a fight in the foreseeable future, though. The champ may simply walk away from MMA for good.
Amanda Nunes’ impressive UFC resume
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During UFC 250, Amanda Nunes stole the show, dominating Felicia Spencer. For the Brazilian, however, that performance was nothing out of the ordinary.
After cutting her teeth in Strikeforce and the Invicta Fighting Championships, Nunes joined the UFC in 2013. After winning her first two bouts, she suffered a defeat at the hands of Cat Zingano; since then, though, the Brazilian hasn’t lost a fight.
Nunes claimed the UFC women’s bantamweight championship in July 2016 and has since defended that title five times. She also knocked out Cris Cyborg in 2018 to take over the women’s featherweight crown, which she retained after defeating Spencer by unanimous decision this June.
While holding titles in two weight classes at the same time is already impressive, Nunes has also made a name for herself by defeating some of the biggest names in UFC. During her championship reign, she’s faced off with the likes of Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm, Miesha Tate, and Ronda Rousey and emerged from the octagon without losing a match.
Becoming a mom in a few months
In the world of UFC, Amanda Nunes can be called several things, including the bantamweight champ and the featherweight champ. In a few months, she’ll pick up another title, though: mom.
Nunes’ partner, Nina Ansaroff, is currently pregnant and expects to give birth to a daughter, Raegan Ann, later this year. Parenthood is a life-changing experience; that’s even true for MMA fighters.
While Nunes hasn’t directly said how having a daughter will affect her fighting career, it does seem like it will at least put her time in the octagon on hold. “[I need] a break for sure,” Nunes said after UFC 250, according to MMA Junkie. “I have to see what’s going on with my legs. I always get hurt with this leg. I don’t know what’s going on. My baby is coming. In three months she’s going to be here. I have to organize a lot of things— her room. I have to do a lot of things, and I really need a break right now.”
There’s no need to feel bad for the two-division champ, though. “[My life is] perfect, living this fun ride and the joy every single day,” she continued. “Be a good person. Life will give you back.”
Amanda Nunes could be heading toward retirement
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It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that professional athletes only retire when they’re old, beaten down, and unable to compete. Amanda Nunes, however, may call it a career for another reason: there’s nothing left for her to do.
“Ah, I don’t know. I’ve achieved everything I wanted,” Nunes said on the Brazilian TV show “Esporte Espetacular,” as translated by MMA Fighting and shared by MMA Junkie. “I’m well. I can go on with my life, maybe [take] a new step, maybe find new talents, help some girls there … maybe be a coach, too.”
The featherweight and bantamweight champ went on to say that, while she’s still able to fight, there isn’t much more she can accomplish inside the octagon.
“I’m in a moment that I can retire, you know, and I’m in a moment that I can fight. I’m fine,” Nunes continued. “There’s nothing else to be done right now in the division. The Hall of Fame will come, for sure. My life going forward, if I do stop now, the UFC will give me every support I need to continue having my money and work.”
At this point, though, there’s nothing to do but wait and see what happens. While UFC fans will be sad to see Amanda Nunes go, she’s certainly earned the right to call it a career whenever she’s ready.
