Amanda Nunes Says Pena is Next if Rousey Doesn’t Return

– Amanda Nunes recently spoke about who she will defend her bantamweight title against, here are the highlights…

On Fighting Ronda Rousey: “That’s the fight that makes sense because Ronda was one of the best fighters of all times, and I’m the champion,” Nunes said. “I also made history for my country, and this is a fight that makes sense for that huge event, one of the biggest pay-per-views in the UFC. I will take my country with me, and she will be fighting in her country. I want this fight in New York. It will be historic.”

If Rousey Doesn’t Return?: “Julianna is on a winning streak now. If Ronda doesn’t come back, it’s going to be Julianna, for sure,” she said. “But I believe (Ronda) will come back.”

Will Rousey Be The Same If She Returns?: “I don’t think so,” Nunes said. “Ronda had her time and that buzz around her. She knows it has cooled down now. She knows she lost. That’s the problem. She was undefeated for a long time and doesn’t know how to deal with a loss now. I started my career with a loss, getting ‘slapped’ by life. Ronda doesn’t know how to deal with that. She fought inferior girls, and those girls fell in her game, that pressure from the UFC and media, and fell in the armbar. But that won’t happen with me because I’m mentally stronger. And I have the belt with me. She knows that, and that’s why she’s avoiding it. She knows the power of having (the belt) at home, that’s why she doesn’t know if she returns or not,” Nunes continued. “(The belt) gives you strength. That’s why Anderson Silva and Jose Aldo were champions for so long. Having this belt gives me extra strength. I’m hungry to fight Ronda now. It’s the Lioness’ Era now. Everything that happened has helped me. I will hold this belt with everything I have. I want to retire as champion, and I will make that happen.”

Credit: mmafighting.com