Ronda Rousey’s return to the UFC is so compelling because it comes with many questions attached. Where is she mentally? Is she really still 100% dedicated to mixed martial arts? And has she improved as much as the rest of the women’s bantamweight division over the year she’s been gone? Amanda Nunes will be the meter stick by which that last one will be measured. She’s the current 135 pound champion and a good representation of the new dangers the division now holds.
With knockout power and slick submissions in her arsenal, she definitely has the weapons to put Rousey to the test. And Nunes is looking forward to seeing how they fare against the reclusive UFC superstar.
“I’m going to look for my best punches,” Nunes said. “I want to see this too, how she’s going to take it. I’m curious, too. I think it’s going to be surprising how she’s going to react. I really want to see how she reacts after I connect on a couple of punches on her. If she reacts very well, I will still have my plan ‘B’. I have my strategy.”
“It could be a TKO, it could be a submission, whatever she gives to me. Whatever mistake she makes, I will take over this fight in the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth. MMA is a box of surprises. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I am going to finish her but I don’t know when, the first, the second, I don’t know. I always have opportunities to finish in the first round. If she gives me the opportunity, I will take it.”
With 12 of her 13 wins coming via finish, Nunes can definitely finish fights. And while she may not finish them as fast as Ronda Rousey, her finish times are still pretty impressive as well. She took the belt off Miesha Tate in just over three minutes. Knocked down and submitted Sara McMann in 2:53. Shayna Baszler didn’t even last two minutes, and current 145 pound title contender Germaine de Randamie was TKO’d by Nunes in under four minutes.
We all know how bad it tends to go for anyone Ronda Rousey gets her hands on. But leading up to UFC 207 this Friday, many are overlooking just how quickly Amanda Nunes can hurt and finish her opponent. Let this be considered notice for all those who have only seen the Rousey-centric promotional videos for UFC 207: her opponent is no joke, and she could definitely knock Ronda out tonight and win.