What would you like to be remembered for? You might not have the answer, but Ananda Nunes does. In a post-match interview after UFC 289, she said she wants to be recognized as “The greatest of all time. I did everything. I broke a lot of records.”
That’s true. The Brazilian native shattered UFC records like it was no one else’s business.
At UFC 289 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Amanda Nunes fought and dominated her match against Irene Aldana in the main pay-per-view card event. She beat her opponent with a unanimous decision of 50-43, 50-44, 50-44. It was a comprehensive victory where Nunes dominated every minute. So was it the last fight of her UFC career? Is she really retiring?
Yes, the UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes has retired. Nunes has retired due to enduring nerve damage in both legs that worsens every time she fights and because she has earned money and fame in her 10-year UFC career. Nunes plans to return to her South Florida gym, Lioness Studio, to coach the next generation of UFC winners.
Did Amanda Nunes Retire? Why Did She Retire?
After her match against Mexican fighter Irene Aldana, Amanda Nunes laid her double UFC championship belts on the mat and removed her gloves to put them in the middle of the titles. After that, she kneeled and cried on the canvas. She said:
“Double champion forever. This is the perfect night to retire.”
The win allowed Nunes to defend her UFC women’s bantamweight title. Apart from this, Nunes is also the UFC women’s featherweight champion. Once she retires, she will vacate both the belts.
Amand Nunes has definitely written her name in the history books. She’s one of the four fighters ever in the history of UFC to hold two divisional titles simultaneously. She has also won 11 UFC title fights, the most among women ever.
She regained the bantamweight title in the previous fight against Peña in July 2022 at UFC 277. Peña had taken Nunes’ UFC women’s record of a 12-fight winning streak in December 2021 at UFC 269.
The 35-year-old Nunes holds the title of the most wins- 16 in UFC women’s history. Also, the most UFC title fight victories among women- 11. This record is tied with Anderson Silva for the fourth-most in UFC history, irrespective of gender. Additionally, in UFC women’s history, she had the most finishes- 10.
Nunes has also beaten Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, and Holly Holm, all of whom held the UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight titles. The retiring fighter also has two wins more than Valentina Shevchenko, the former UFC women’s flyweight champion.
Aldana was a fill-in opponent. Julianna Peña, the former champion, was the one who was going to fight Nunes in the latter’s last match. But she drew after breaking her ribs. The retiring fighter said that she knew the fight with Aldana would be the last of her career, and she knew that once she had signed the agreement.
However, she didn’t want to focus only on the fact that she would retire; after all, she had a job to do. Nunes said during the post-fight conference (via MMA Junkie):
“I just didn’t want to focus on that. Focus on my fight. I don’t want to keep talking about retiring all the time.”
So what’s next for Nunes? She plans on resting and traveling, especially to Brazil, her native land. But she doesn’t plan on staying there. Nunes said she would return to her Lioness Studio, her South Florida gym, and start her career as a coach. So, for now, she has no plans to disappear; she loves fights and the sport too much. Nunes remarked:
“I have my gym. I have a couple girls there. I’d love to help them to be able to see [MMA achievements], as well. I have a lot to offer. As a double champ, I know a lot. … I’ll be able to make a girl champion, too. If I really work with one girl, I can make her a champion. I know everything about this game.”
The UFC champion has been tolerating nerve damage in both legs, and she has said it hasn’t diminished. In fact, the pain flares up when she fights. The final fight was no different, so she was on crutches when Nunes entered the press conference post-fight.
Dana White, the UFC president, revealed that he wasn’t surprised that Amanda Nunes decided to put down her gloves because of how much she had made over the past decade. In the post-fight news conference (via MMA Junkie), he said:
“This must be what Amanda wants. I’m definitely happy for her. Would I like to see her stick around and do some more? Absolutely. I love the kid. She’s been incredible to work with. She’s been such a good human being and a great champion.”
White also said that after Nunes’ retirement, the UFC women’s featherweight division and title could be retired because there isn’t any depth in the lineup.
After ten years, Amanda Nunes has a 16-2 record. So what are your thoughts on Amanda Nunes’ retirement?
Should she have retired after a trilogy fight with Julianna Peña, as was initially scheduled? Or did she do the right thing and withdraw at the right time to go into coaching to create the next generation of winners?
Let us know in the comments below.
Source: MMA Junkie
