5 Things you need to know about Amanda Nunes
At UFC 232, Amanda Nunes defeated Cris Cyborg, becoming only the second female fighter to ever beat Cyborg. She subsequently became the featherweight champion and the first-ever female double champion in UFC history (and the third overall).
This was a very different situation from the Ronda Rousey fight. Nunes and Cyborg had a little bit of dislike for each other, but it wasn't bad blood. On the other hand, in 2016, Nunes wasn’t concerned with the hype surrounding the returning Rousey, whom she’d called a “movie star” during the build-up to the fight before beating her via TKO, just 48 seconds in. That’s the kind of confidence that makes a star, and Amanda Nunes is a star.
There was never any moment in the fight where Rousey really looked like she’d put up any resistance, albeit with the fight being just 48 seconds long she never really had time to settle in. Nunes was in control throughout, landing punch after punch on UFC’s former darling before Herb Dean finally called the fight.
Retirement seems next on the cards for Rousey as she looks to transition into pop culture and Nunes walks away with not just the nickname “Lioness”, but the reputation of one.
With that being said, here are 5 things you need to know about the current UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion.
#5 She’s the first openly gay UFC Champion
Amanda Nunes made history at UFC 200. She dominated Meisha Tate to win the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship that night, after making Tate submit to a rear-naked choke. By winning, Amanda Nunes became the first openly gay champion in the history of the UFC.
Her first title defence came last weekend at UFC 207, when she defeated Ronda Rousey by TKO in just 48 seconds.
Nunes is currently dating fellow UFC fighter Nina Ansaroff. The pair met when Nunes still lived and trained in her local gym. With Nunes’ english still poor, they started off communicating via Google Translate. As far as the future is concerned, the couple plans to get married and adopt a child after finally hanging up their gloves.