UFC News: Retired Double Champ Amanda Nunes Teases Return After UFC 297
The greatest female fighter to ever step into the Octagon might be contemplating a return to the UFC.
Last weekend’s UFC 297 co-main event saw Raquel Pennington claim the vacant women’s bantamweight title when she defeated Mayra Bueno Silva via unanimous decision, and with that result the division finally crowned a new champion following the retirement of Amanda Nunes last year.
Nunes made the trip to Toronto to attend UFC 297 with her family, and after the event concluded Megan Olivi asked the former double-champion how she felt watching the title fight between Pennington and Bueno Silva.
Pennington claimed the vacant bantamweight title at UFC 297.
(Dan Hamilton/USA TODAY Sports)
"It was a mixed feeling, you know?" Nunes said. "It was happy, sad, but when I saw 'Rocky' with the belt, I was okay. I [wasn’t] upset or anything. I think I [made] the right decision, retiring… I’m still young, I’m fresh. We never know. So we have a lot of things to do. I gotta figure out a bunch of things at home still, what are we gonna do, and see what happens.”
“The Lioness” first claimed the women’s bantamweight title at UFC 200 and later achieved double-champ status when she also captured the women’s featherweight belt at UFC 232.
Olivi was quick to pounce on Nunes' suggestion that she might be considering a return to the Octagon, and although the Brazilian was coy with her response she certainly didn’t shut the door on a potential comeback.
Nunes retired after her bantamweight title defense at UFC 289.
(Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports)
“I don’t know, we never know. I’m a fighter, you know? And this is my job. And I love this so much. I don’t know. I enjoy as well being in the gym every day and having a normal life. Staying home a little bit, being lazy…But I’m still healthy and powerful, smart. Think like a champion, I still feel a champion. So we’ll see.”
Nunes previously defended the bantamweight title against Pennington at UFC 224, and although the 35-year-old already holds wins over most of the division’s biggest names she may be interested in a return to complete her trilogy with #1-ranked Julianna Peña.
“The Venezuelan Vixen” submitted Nunes in a massive upset at UFC 269 before she lost a lopsided unanimous decision in their immediate rematch, and after missing out on a planned third fight with her rival it looks like Peña will be the first challenger for Pennington’s newly-acquired title.
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