“And one day somebody gonna beat you or something gonna happen. God don’t give to nobody free power, reaction, mental, everything in one level always. One day it’s gonna go down” – Khabib Nurmagomedov’s proverbial words after Tony Ferguson’s lopsided loss to Justin Gaethje back in 2020. This is a universal truth in combat sports, even if you are a former two-weight champion and a GOAT candidate, as Amanda Nunes is. She raised some eyebrows a few weeks ago when she nodded yes to the possibility of a comeback. But she might want to pay attention to this word of advice from a UFC vet.
It has been almost two years since ‘The Lioness’ last stepped into the Octagon. After leaving the sport as possibly the greatest female MMA fighter the planet has witnessed yet, Amanda Nunes took over the internet with a simple nod, suggesting a yes when a journalist asked UFC CEO Dana White about her possible return. As the UFC 316 press conference shifted its attention from the fighters on the card to Nunes, two possible competitors for ‘The Lioness’ in the future were sitting there watching the crowd lose their minds – Kayla Harrison and the bantamweight champion, Julianna Pena.
If Nunes is plotting a return against the winner of the UFC 316 Pena-Harrison bout, Chael Sonnen says, “And by the way, you’re probably not going to be a main event in any scenario. Though there is a way, and that way is you versus Kayla for a title at 135. Now the problem is Kayla isn’t the champion at 135. You’re not signed to the organization, and as many times as you’ve confirmed the confirmation that you’ve confirmed, you’ve either entered the pool or you haven’t.”
Calling out the Brazilian legend for her uncertainty around her return to the Octagon, Sonnen made sure that Nunes knows that the only way she can headline an event is if Kayla Harrison beats Juliana Pena and takes over the women’s 135-pound division throne. Why? Because a trilogy against Pena is a foregone conclusion for many. There is a reason Nunes retired without closing that chapter. She knew she was not going to lose to Pena unless it was an upset like at UFC 269. But Harrison is a different ball game.
Sonnen also called out the publication that wrote about her return without any follow up questions. Is Nunes entering the testing pool? Has she done it already? If she hasn’t, when will she do it? Until we get an answer to these questions, Sonnen says, “There is no return.”
Until her last fight in June 2023, Amanda Nunes claimed eight title defenses to her name across two divisions, with just one loss in her title run, as she even defended her belts seven times in a row. That run is not likely to be replicated anytime soon, even by Kayla Harrison. And fighting her for the title and getting a win is a definitive way to be sure. Plus, like Sonnen said, that’s the only main event bout that makes sense for Amanda Nunes.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 06: Amanda Nunes of Brazil reacts after her victory over Megan Anderson of Australia in their UFC featherweight championship fight during the UFC 259 event at UFC APEX on March 06, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)|GettyImages
Because Valentina Shevchenko has moved on from their rivalry. Outside of Pena and Harrison, she is the only one who posed any real threat to the Brazilian. Nunes’ split decision win over ‘Bullet’ in their second bout is still disputed by many. The 37-year-old flyweight champion does not have a lot of fights left in her, and Nunes is a big-name chapter that remains open. Outside of that, Nunes really has no reason to come back. But what if she does?
The path isn’t going to be easy for her, considering how drastically the competition changes around in the UFC. Such a long time off from the sport can be lethal for her. Boasting an unbelievable resume with 17 victories and only 3 losses in the organization, Nunes has her name among the greatest fighters, men or women, to enter the octagon. But will it still be enough for her to recapture her throne?
Will Amanda Nunes be able to capitalize on her momentum? Or will she be yet another victim of ‘ring rust’?
“Me booing her in Canada was right because I knew that she was retiring too early, just like Dana said and just like you guys are all seeing, she’s not done! She’s just sitting there at the sidelines to see what happens because she didn’t wanna fight that trilogy fight that I was asking for.” This is what the arch-rival of Nunes, Juliana Pena, had to say about her former opponent, who nodded yes on a return question. Even Dana knew she was gonna return later.
But the question most of us ask these fighters who take such a long break from the sport is, ‘Why?’ We all remember a similar stint taken by Henry Cejudo. UFC boss Dana White was not happy with his sudden retirement, and when he came back, he faced the consequences. Once a double-champ, he is currently on a three-fight losing streak. ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor also comes to mind. He too faced the consequences of taking such long breaks, as when he came back, he just wasn’t the same beast, losing twice to Poirier in the process, and ended up with a broken leg.
History is evident enough of what can go wrong when you take such a long time off from this sport. With the ever-evolving competition, even consistent fighters who cross a certain age start collecting losses more than wins. Amanda Nunes was the best of her time, unbeatable in all aspects of the fight. At 36, will ‘The Lioness’ return to the Octagon and be able to reclaim her hunting grounds? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
The post UFC Insider Gives Amanda Nunes a Reality Check on UFC Comeback – “There Is No Return” appeared first on EssentiallySports.
