Home MMA NewsLatest News Amanda Nunes calls any future UFC belts in her divisions ‘fake forever,’ scoffs at Julianna Peña

Amanda Nunes calls any future UFC belts in her divisions ‘fake forever,’ scoffs at Julianna Peña

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Amanda Nunes retirement

Amanda Nunes dismisses any future UFC belts in her divisions as ‘perpetually fake’ and mocks Julianna Peña.

Amanda Nunes decisively put an end to any speculations of a comeback and brushed off comments from her supposed rivals. “The Lioness” concluded her fighting career on her own terms at UFC 289 in Vancouver, following a unanimous decision victory over Irene Aldana in the main event. After successfully defending her 135-pound title for the sixth time, Nunes, a two-division champion, placed both her bantamweight and featherweight belts in the octagon along with her gloves, symbolizing her retirement.

Radiating with joy, Nunes was later asked if there was anything that could entice her to return to the octagon. In response, she declared that regardless of future events, she will forever consider herself the true UFC champion of her weight classes.

“No, I will keep my belt at home with me,” Nunes stated at the post-fight press conference. “That one will be the counterfeit one. It will remain fake forever. Whoever obtains the belt now will merely pretend to hold it. So I’m gone. I’m content. I have accomplished everything I needed in my life.”

Nunes expressed gratitude towards the UFC for taking care of her throughout her career, assuring that she would remain present in the sport she loves. Even without competing, she intends to stay involved, stating, “I will still be around, just to be present because I have so much passion for this sport. I dedicated myself to becoming the best, and I proved it tonight. I retired with my two belts.”

During her six-year reign over two divisions, Nunes demonstrated dominance by defeating notable opponents such as Aldana, Julianna Peña, Germaine de Randamie, Holly Holm, Cris Cyborg, Valentina Shevchenko, Ronda Rousey, and Miesha Tate. Any one of these victories would have solidified an impressive career, but Nunes’ collection of triumphs leaves no doubt that she is the most accomplished female MMA athlete to date.

With her departure, there is now a void to be filled, but Nunes doesn’t appear particularly concerned about who steps up to the challenge. She expressed her desire to be a spectator, stating, “Honestly, I want to be there just to watch. Right now, I don’t really care. I have defeated all of them, so there’s nothing left. If anyone claims the belt now, it’s merely for show because I have accomplished everything in this division. It’s a closed chapter. I defeated all the top contenders, and now I just want to observe from the sidelines. I will definitely be present.”

Julianna Peña, Nunes’ opponent in two title fights and the only woman to defeat her during her championship reign, promptly took to social media after Nunes’ retirement, accusing her of evading a trilogy bout. Peña, originally scheduled to face Nunes at UFC 289 but forced to withdraw due to a rib injury, secured a surprising second-round submission victory over Nunes at UFC 269. However, Nunes reclaimed the title in an immediate rematch at UFC 277, dominating Peña for five rounds.

When asked about Peña’s remarks, Nunes responded with laughter. “Oh my goodness, what can I say about that girl?” Nunes chuckled. “She was supposed to be here tonight. I was supposed to beat her again. But she got injured during training, broke her ribs. What can I do about it?”

Nunes added, “If it were Julianna Peña that I fought tonight, I wouldn’t retire. I wanted to face someone I hadn’t fought before before retiring. Tonight wouldn’t have been the night. I would have defeated Julianna and then faced Aldana or whoever else before retiring.”

Directly asked if she believed Peña could reclaim the title, Nunes responded bluntly, “No. I don’t think so. I believe Aldana can defeat her. I think Peña got lucky in our fight. She knows I wasn’t prepared, but I proved it in the second fight. She’s not ready to become a champion. She’s not prepared.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Amanda Nunes retirement

Q: What led to Amanda Nunes’ retirement from UFC?

A: Amanda Nunes decided to retire from UFC after her victory over Irene Aldana at UFC 289. She stated that she had accomplished everything she wanted in her career and felt content with her achievements. Nunes expressed gratitude towards the UFC for taking care of her and mentioned that she would continue to be involved in the sport, albeit as a spectator.

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