Amanda Nunes resumes her career to chase title: "I'll Prepare Myself"
Gear up, fight fans! The rumors are finally put to rest – UFC Hall-of-Famer, Amanda Nunes, is back in the Octagon and plotting her way to reclaiming her women's bantamweight title. In an interview with ESPN's Brett Okamoto, Nunes all but confirmed her return plans.
With a tender smile and a hint of nostalgia, the retired mother of one uttered, "I missed [fighting] so much." With her baby growing up and now sleeping like a charm, Nunes revealed she's ready to step back into the arena. She's got her sights set on either the winner of Julianna Peña or Kayla Harrison, both vying for the title in the co-main event of UFC 316.
Some might say Nunes' abrupt retirement in June 2023 was premature, but the legend herself has always been a riddle wrapped in mystery. Despite her departure, UFC CEO, Dana White, has repeatedly voiced his belief that Nunes should've stayed a little longer[4].
There's no denying Nunes' status as the greatest female fighter ever. Her record of 23-5 includes an unprecedented run as the UFC's bantamweight and featherweight champion. From March 2015 through 2023, she went 14-1, with a massive 12-fight win streak until her loss to Peña[1]. But Nunes made a triumphant comeback, snatching the title back in their rematch.
Now, Peña and Harrison are left to face off for the chance to face the legendary Lioness. Peña famously booed Nunes during a 2023 event and has expressed a desire for a trilogy fight[2]. However, Harrison, an Olympic gold medalist and former Professional Fighters League champion, presents a formidable challenge to both Peña and Nunes[4].
Scheduled for a title showdown on Saturday, Harrison has made it to the finals with a stoppage win over Holly Holm and a unanimous decision victory over Ketlen Vieira[1]. But Harrison's biggest challenges have been cutting weight[1]. The world-class athlete has made weight every time, but the effort shows on the scales – as marked by her frail appearance during weigh-ins, only to recover and rejuvenate later that evening[3].
Keep your eyes peeled, fight fans, because if all goes as planned, Nunes will be there to toast the winner of the UFC 316 bout. With any luck, we'll see Nunes vs. the winner in the November pay-per-view in New York.
Here's the full UFC 316 card:
- Merab Dvalishvili (c) vs. Sean O'Malley - Bantamweight Title
- Julianna Peña (c) vs. Kayla Harrison - Women's Bantamweight Title
- Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer - Middleweight
- Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix - Bantamweight
- Vicente Luque vs. Kevin Holland - Welterweight
Prelims
- Bruno Silva vs. Joshua Van - Flyweight
- Johnny Walker vs. Azamat Murzakanov - Light Heavyweight
- Serghei Spivac vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta - Heavyweight
- Khaos Williams vs. Andreas Gustafsson - Welterweight
- Ariane da Silva vs. Wang Cong - Flyweight
- Jeka Saragih vs. Joo Sang Yoo - Featherweight
- Quillan Salkilld vs. Yanal Ashmouz - Lightweight
- MarQuel Mederos vs. Mark Choinski - Lightweight
[1] https://www.espn.com/mma/fightcenter/ppv//id/324061462[2] https://www.espn.com/mma/story//id/31332188[3] https://www.mmafighting.com/platform/amp/2023/8/21/21305357/kayla-harrison-weighs-135-8-for-ufc-316-title-fight-against-julianna-pea[4] https://www.barstoolsports.com/mma/amp/ucc/booed-off-by-the-crowd-dana-white-thinks-amanda-nunes-retired-too-soon-19011244
Amanda Nunes, a UFC Hall-of-Famer, is making a return to mixed-martial-arts, setting her sights on reclaiming her women's bantamweight title. In the UFC 316 card, she plans to toast the winner of the Julianna Peña versus Kayla Harrison title fight, where the UFC roster members are vying for the title. The UFC 316 event, scheduled for a pay-per-view in New York, also features a bantamweight title showdown between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley.
