- Amanda Nunes is sticking to her decision to retire following her recent title fight win
- “Lioness” commented on Julianna Pena’s post-UFC 289 remarks
Amanda Nunes took her gloves off and called it a career following her decision win over Irene Aldana at UFC 289 to defend her UFC women’s bantamweight title. The now-retired Nunes then pointed out that even if it was Julianna Pena who fought her that night, she would just beat her again and take on Irene Aldana next but her decision to would still be the same.
Life after Retirement
As expected, the MMA media quizzed “Lioness” to reveal her plans now that she is stepping away from the sport. According to Nunes, she would no longer compete but she would make sure to help the next generation of elite MMA fighters through her own gym.
“I tried to hide from you guys the whole week… I just didn’t want to focus on that,” Nunes said on her post-fight presser about her retirement. “Focus on my fight. I don’t want to keep talking about retiring all the time because I don’t want to keep talking about the retirement all the time and I’m still talking, imagine, if I say like, ‘Yeah I’m gonna retire’ I would like would it be all about that? So yeah, I knew the whole time.”
“I love this sport. Definitely. I have my gym. I have a couple girls there. I’d love to help them to be able to see [success] as well,” she revealed. “I have a lot to offer. As a double champ, I know a lot… If I really work with one girl, I can make her a champion. I know everything about this game.”
As for how she wanted to be remembered, Nunes said:
“The greatest of all time. I did everything. I broke a lot of records. tonight I tie with Anderson Silva, it’s amazing. So I’m very happy about that.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Csb3Eq8vf1m/?hl=en
There’s only one GOAT
Shortly after Nunes retired, her old rival Pena expressed her disappointment over the fact that she can no longer have the trilogy match she has been yearning for to avenge her defeat. On the other hand, “Lioness” just laughed it off and reiterated that “The Venezuelan Vixen” had the chance but she botched it. And regardless, the outcome would still be the same and she would still fight Aldana before retiring.
I scared you so bad into retirement. Personally, Congratulations. Professionally, wtf was that? #UFC289
— Julianna Peña (@VenezuelanVixen) June 11, 2023
“[Laughs] Oh my goodness, what can I say about that girl?” Nunes said of Pena. “She’s supposed to be here. I’m supposed to beat her tonight again. She’s the one that was hurt in training, break the ribs, what am I going to do about it? If it was Julianna Pena tonight, I don’t retire because I want to fight somebody that I never fought before to retire. Tonight, it wouldn’t have been the night. I would have beat Julianna and then fight Aldana or whatever and then retire.”
With Nunes out, the UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight title would be vacant and there would be a new champion sooner rather than later. However, the Brazilian emphasized that any of the girls who would hoist the vacant title is nothing but “fake” as they never really beat her.
“I’m going to have my belt at home with me. That’s going to be the fake one. It’s going to be fake forever,” Nunes explained. “ Whoever gets the belt now, it’s going to be just, like, pretending to have it. So I’m gone. I’m good. I did everything, all is taken care of in my life.
The title fight win over Aldana saw Nunes tying Anderson Silva as the fourth-most UFC title fight wins. Nunes will end her stellar MMA career with a record of 23-5 and with two-division UFC titles to her name.
