Motherhood next challenge for UFC star Amanda Nunes

By Adam Hill

Las Vegas Review-Journal

5 years ago

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 06: Amanda Nunes of Brazil celebrates after her unanimous-decision vic ... — LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: Amanda Nunes of Brazil celebrates after her unanimous-decision victory over Felicia Spencer of Canada in their UFC featherweight championship bout during the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: (L-R) Amanda Nunes of Brazil punches Felicia Spencer of Canada in their UFC featherweight championship bout during the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: (R-L) Felicia Spencer of Canada punches Amanda Nunes of Brazil in their UFC featherweight championship bout during the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: (L-R) Cody Garbrandt punches Raphael Assuncao of Brazil in their bantamweight bout during the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: Aljamain Sterling attempts to secure a rear choke submission against Cory Sandhagen in their bantamweight bout during the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: Aljamain Sterling celebrates after his submission victory over Cory Sandhagen in their bantamweight bout during the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: (R-L) Amanda Nunes of Brazil punches Felicia Spencer of Canada in their UFC featherweight championship bout during the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: Cody Garbrandt celebrates after his knockout victory over Raphael Assuncao of Brazil in their bantamweight bout during the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: (L-R) Neil Magny punches Anthony Rocco Martin in their welterweight bout during the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: (R-L) Sean O’Malley punches Eddie Wineland in their bantamweight bout during the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: Neil Magny celebrates after his victory over Anthony Rocco Martin in their welterweight bout during the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Amanda Nunes breezed through yet another opponent in the main event of UFC 250 on Saturday night, winning a unanimous decision over Felicia Spencer to retain her women’s featherweight belt.

But her next challenge figures to be far more daunting.

Nunes’ wife, fellow UFC fighter Nina Ansaroff, is expecting the couple’s first child in September, and Nunes said she’s looking forward to motherhood.

“I need a break for sure,” she said after winning all five rounds en route to her 11th straight victory. “The baby is coming in three months. I have to organize a lot of things, like her room. I think maybe I’ll be off (from fighting) for the rest of the year. I have to do a lot of things and be ready for my baby.”

It was a great night at the UFC Apex facility for Nunes, who became the first UFC fighter to successfully defend a belt while simultaneously holding a title in another weight class.

The 32-year-old star solidified her claim as the greatest female fighter in MMA history despite not finding a way to finish Spencer over the course of five dominant rounds.

Nunes said that was just fine with her because she got a chance to showcase everything she has been working on in the gym and prove she could maintain a high pace through five rounds.

Nunes out-landed Spencer 124-42 in significant strikes, then insisted she could have kept it up for as long as Spencer could have taken it.

Now that she has basically cleared out the featherweight and bantamweight divisions, Nunes is far more concerned with personal growth as a fighter than any particular challenger.

“I’m going to keep growing,” she said. “I’m going to go to the roof. I’m going to go to the top of the mountain. I’m going to go to the moon. Honestly, I’m going to go to NASA now.”

Nunes doesn’t like to talk about potential future opponents immediately after victories. She prefers to celebrate and thinks she is giving up some of her own spotlight by mentioning anyone else.

One thing is clear: She would be a massive favorite over any opponent.

Some champions would feel the weight of the world in such a scenario. But not Nunes, who recalls a time that wasn’t the case. She was an underdog in eight of her 10 fights from November 2013 to the end of 2018. She went 9-1.

“It’s no pressure to be the favorite because it used to be the other way around, and I handled it very well,” she said. “Now I just get to enjoy the ride. My team is so smart about how we train and prepare every single day that it has taken me to the top of the mountain. I did something tonight nobody has ever done. I’m the best. I’m the greatest. Look at these belts … that’s incredible.

“I’m very happy, and I just can’t wait to see my baby.”

Nunes never thought she would be so excited about becoming a mother. The Brazil native and Florida resident just wanted to be a champion and good citizen.

“Life is perfect,” she said. “I’m just loving this fun ride and the joy of every single day, trying to be a good person and knowing life will give it back. I don’t want to do bad for anybody. I just want to keep making history.”

That part will have to wait.

Raegan Ann Nunes is up next for the champion in September.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.