Kemo
03-07-2017, 06:46 PM
Amanda Nunes has pumped the brakes on a move to featherweight.
Nunes, who is the reigning UFC women’s bantamweight title holder, is likely headed towards a title defense against Valentina Shevchenko. “The Lioness” entertained a featherweight move when Cris Cyborg was flagged for a potential drug violation.
Now that Cyborg has been cleared to compete and free of any penalty, she may be next in line for a shot at the women’s 145-pound gold. Speaking with Flo Combat, Nunes said she doesn’t plan on trading leather with Cyborg:
“I do not intend to fight with Cris. But my intention was to fight [Holly Holm or Germaine de Randamie], who were in my category, but Cris is coming back now and I’m not interested in going up. I want to see her as the champion. To fight with her, I would have to gain weight and gain muscle. I am at 135 pounds. To do such a job (at 145), I would need at least a year. That’s what I said: ‘This category is for Cris.’ but then she tested positive. But then, two girls from the 135-pound class moved up, one was coming off two defeats and the other was not in the rankings. The champion [Germaine de Randamie] is a girl that I have already defeated. I asked to go up because I can be champion in two categories. My point of view was that they were two athletes from my category and that Cris was not in the game at the time.”
Nunes, who is the reigning UFC women’s bantamweight title holder, is likely headed towards a title defense against Valentina Shevchenko. “The Lioness” entertained a featherweight move when Cris Cyborg was flagged for a potential drug violation.
Now that Cyborg has been cleared to compete and free of any penalty, she may be next in line for a shot at the women’s 145-pound gold. Speaking with Flo Combat, Nunes said she doesn’t plan on trading leather with Cyborg:
“I do not intend to fight with Cris. But my intention was to fight [Holly Holm or Germaine de Randamie], who were in my category, but Cris is coming back now and I’m not interested in going up. I want to see her as the champion. To fight with her, I would have to gain weight and gain muscle. I am at 135 pounds. To do such a job (at 145), I would need at least a year. That’s what I said: ‘This category is for Cris.’ but then she tested positive. But then, two girls from the 135-pound class moved up, one was coming off two defeats and the other was not in the rankings. The champion [Germaine de Randamie] is a girl that I have already defeated. I asked to go up because I can be champion in two categories. My point of view was that they were two athletes from my category and that Cris was not in the game at the time.”