UFC champion Amanda Nunes won’t be distracted by Ronda Rousey

She hasn’t had much success.

“I’m going to be honest with you,” Nunes said Tuesday at the MGM Grand. “I don’t know what is wrong with this girl.”

Fortunately for Nunes, the women’s bantamweight champion, she’s not tasked with performing a psychological analysis of Rousey. She only has to defeat her in the main event of UFC 207 on Friday at T-Mobile Arena.

If Rousey had been reclusive since losing her belt in a stunning knockout by Holly Holm in Melbourne, Australia, in November 2016, she has been downright invisible since the fight was announced.

Apart from interviews with Ellen DeGeneres and Conan O’Brien with little fight talk and a feature about her mountain training camp on ESPN.com, one of the most accessible superstars in sports has gone radio silent.

Rousey will not participate in Wednesday’s media day at T-Mobile Arena and did not even grant an interview to producers of the UFC’s “Countdown” show.

Her decision to skip media day worked out well for Nunes, who is still somewhat uncomfortable in such settings as she continues to perfect her English and won’t be asked to participate in Rousey’s absence.

Nunes said she was unsure if Rousey was trying to play mind games or what exactly is going on with her opponent. But she insists it won’t matter once they’re in the cage.

“If she wants to play these games, she’s playing with the wrong person,” Nunes said. “I’m very focused, and I know how I’m going to stop her. I can’t wait.”

It’s a fight Nunes has been pining for since submitting then-champion Miesha Tate in the first round of the main event of UFC 200 in July at T-Mobile.

“I talked to (UFC president) Dana White about it right away,” Nunes said. “I want to fight somebody to make my first title defense big. I want to be in a main event. This is what I want, so it has to be against Ronda Rousey.”

Nunes knew what she was getting into when she signed the contract. Rousey brings eyeballs and attention to everything she does, from fighting to photo shoots to movie sets. The fact the once invincible champion is attempting to bounce back from the first loss of her career, especially one that she confided to DeGeneres made her contemplate suicide, was going to be the major story.

Even though Nunes has the belt, Rousey has received the big promotional push. The poster for the event reads “She’s back.” Nunes understands that.

“She is the big name in this division,” she said. “Only she is going to make all this possible. Whatever they want to do with the promotion, they can do. But at the end of the day, I’m the best. I’m the champ. I have the belt, and I will keep it.”

She might not be able to retain her anonymity much longer should she defeat Rousey on such a big stage.

The 28-year-old Brazilian, a plus-120 underdog to Rousey, is the first openly gay champion in UFC history. She lives right around the corner from her gym, American Top Team, in Coconut Creek, Florida, with girlfriend Nina Ansaroff, a UFC strawweight, and their two dogs. Nunes says she hopes they can continue their quiet life after this week, but she also knows her first truly big payday is on the way.

What she makes is largely tied to the number of pay-per-view buys, something Nunes isn’t worried about even with Rousey eschewing traditional means of fight promotion.

“I just think people are excited to see her come back,” Nunes said. “I think it will be huge just because people want to see it. Even if she’s not here to talk to (the media), you still want to see her. So do I.”

One thing Nunes won’t do is try to ask out of her media obligations, mostly because she doesn’t think she could get away with it.

“I think they would make me do it, for sure,” she said, laughing. “They love Ronda Rousey. What (can you) do? Kick her ass.

“And I will do that.”

The bout is part of a pay-per-view card that begins at 7 p.m. Friday. The first fight on the preliminary card begins at 4:30.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter.