Amanda Nunes Coach Discusses Champion’s Rematch With Valentina Shevchenko

MMAjunkie recently spoke to UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes’ coach and trainer, Marcus Silveira of American Top Team, on Nunes’ upcoming title defense against Valentina Shevchenko. The fight is set for tomorrow as the new main event for UFC 215. The main card will be broadcast live on PPV. Below are some highlights.

Silveira on how people analyze the first fight: “What surprises me, and what I feel kind of irritated a little bit is how people, they analyze fights the way they see fights. She won basically the first two rounds. … I don’t think she slowed down in the third round. She was preserving herself. Why are you going to go crazy if you already won the fight? Not taking any credit away from Valentina; she is a tough fighter. Sometimes it’s not how hard you punch; it’s how good you think, how smart you are. I think that is the difference.”

Silveira on getting Nunes ready for a fight again after she wasn’t able to fight at UFC 213: “That is the fighter’s mentality. Not that we’re a different species or different human beings, but our business, the fighting business, requires for you to be able to move on even if the storm’s above your head. If there’s adjustments, you’ve got to do it, and you’ve got to move forward.”

Silveira on Nunes’ preparation: “She’s well-prepared for the fight. All the training and everything is done. We did it at home. She’s ready. She could fight today. I see her keeping the belt, of course, not because I’m her head coach, but I see the way she trains and the way she prepares for the fight. Saturday we will show everybody.”