It’s important to clarify that Anthony Smith is not pushing for Amanda Nunes to step back from her fighting career. He understands all too well the discomfort of unsolicited advice from strangers about one’s profession or personal life, especially when on the brink of a significant match.
However, with Nunes preparing for her next title defense against Irene Aldana in UFC 289 this coming Saturday, Smith can’t help but ponder her career’s culmination.
Smith admitted on The MMA Hour, “Is it odd that I occasionally contemplate Amanda Nunes’ retirement? I have this strange feeling. When I observe her during fight weeks, during interviews, dragging her family along, then stepping in and fighting — I sometimes empathize with her.
“It feels as if she should just relish her life and have a good time. Like, stop involving herself in all these things. Because, often, she doesn’t seem to be truly enjoying it.”
Nunes’ journey has been arduous. The 35-year-old Brazilian has held a UFC title since July 2016 when she clinched the women’s bantamweight title from Miesha Tate in the first round. She expanded her title collection in December 2018, knocking out Cris Cyborg in just 51 seconds to claim UFC’s featherweight gold.
From there, Nunes has been virtually unstoppable, accumulating seven combined title defenses and revenging her only championship defeat with a comprehensive victory over Julianna Pena in July 2022. Currently, “The Lioness” is arguably the most accomplished female UFC fighter in history, securing her position among the greatest MMA fighters of all time.
This is a far cry from when Nunes and Smith initially met in 2008. The future Hall of Famer was merely an unknown contender striving to find her place, supporting her future spouse Nina Nunes at a local event in St. Joseph, Missouri.
“It’s astonishing to reflect on, she was already fighting back then,” remarked Smith. “She’s had such a long career with Nina. It was unreal.”
“I feel she’s in a place where she has so much ahead of her,” Smith continued. “She has achieved so much, and really, what more does she have to prove? I just anticipate her moving on and achieving other great things. It may sound strange, but I mean it positively.”
“My only wish is for her happiness.”
As Nunes’ career highlights continue to amass, questions about her motivation have become more prominent. These speculations intensified after her split from American Top Team and the subsequent shift to manage her own training camps post her December 2021 defeat to Peña. UFC president Dana White recently echoed similar thoughts about Nunes in the lead-up to her UFC 289 title match.
In her fight against Aldana, Nunes faces a determined Mexican contender who’s inspired by recent successes of her compatriots, Brandon Moreno, Yair Rodriguez, and Alexa Grasso, all of whom recently secured UFC titles for Mexico. Grasso, Aldana’s close training partner, notably upset Valentina Shevchenko, creating a similar backdrop to Aldana’s upcoming challenge.
“I’m not entirely sure, but if the best version of Amanda Nunes appears, I believe she will prevail,” Smith commented. “The issue lies in her sporadic motivation. She has a somewhat unique training arrangement, working on her own. While some have found success in this approach, others have met with disaster. For instance, I wouldn’t manage my own camp independently from a team setting. It doesn’t align with my mindset.
“Thus, I’m uncertain how this will work out for her. However, if the Amanda Nunes who defeated Julianna Pena the second time shows up, I believe she will be incredibly successful and formidable.
“Nevertheless, Aldana’s teammate has recently achieved the extraordinary. Teddy Atlas stated that becoming a champion improves you by 30%. I think this can also be said for those around you doing the same thing,” Smith added.
“Witnessing someone achieve something you’ve only ever vocalized in support can be highly motivating. Once you see it materialize and observe the impact and rewards, that motivation is probably unparalleled. Because now it’s real. You’ve seen it happen, you’ve seen the potential.”