Two-weight champion Amanda Nunes doesn’t regard Germaine de Randamie as a former title-holder after the latter virtually vacated her title.
De Randamie became the first-ever women’s featherweight champion when she outpointed Holly Holm back at UFC 208 in February 2017. However, with Cris Cyborg slated to be her next opponent, “The Iron Lady” refused to fight her given the former’s history of having failed a drug test.
She was subsequently stripped of the title but will have a chance to become champion again when she challenges Nunes in a rematch for the bantamweight title at UFC 245 this weekend. But for Nunes — who notably knocked out Cyborg to become the featherweight champion — the true test in being a champion is defending your belt:
“You only prove you’re a champion if you defend your belt,” Nunes said at the UFC 245 athlete panel on Wednesday (via MMA Junkie). “She proved she give up her belt, she’s not supposed to be in this spot that I am right now.
“I feel like she’s evolved a lot, but I have all the answers for Saturday night. I will walk away with my belt without a doubt in my mind.”
Despite not considering de Randamie as a former champ, Nunes acknowledges that she has evolved since they first met back in 2013. Nunes defeated de Randamie by first-round TKO on that occasion.
“I do I see she’s evolved a lot, of course, specially in her wrestling defense,” Nunes added. “It’s improved a lot, but her striking has changed a lot. She use to move a lot, now she’s kind of more stiff and that’s going to help me a lot put in my game plan.
“And yeah, I look at my first fight with her and if she makes the same mistakes, I will capitalize and finish the fight.”
Do you agree with Nunes?
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