UFC President Dana White has recently begun to believe that former women’s pound-for-pound No.1, Amanda Nunes, has lost the motivation that drove her to achieve such success.
Amanda Nunes’s most recent outing was her shock loss at UFC 269, where Julianna Pena managed to find her arms under the ‘Lioness’ neck and come out with an upset submission victory. Despite Nunes losing her Bantamweight title on the night, she still Is the Featherweight champ.
Before Nunes’s loss to Pena, the 34-year-old held a 12-fight win streak with convincing victories against notable opponents such as Valentina Shevchenko, Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm, and Cris Cyborg. However, Dana White seems to believe after such domination for such an extended period of time, her drive and priorities inevitably aren’t going to be what they once were.
“The question is, for Amanda – and this is what happens to all fighters – you know the big narrative we don’t pay anybody? Amanda’s rich.”
“Amanda is a multi-millionaire who is now at a completely different financial status. She has a baby now. Her life – she is not that hungry savage she was when she started to take this run at becoming a world champion. A lot of that factors in.” Dana White explained to ESPN.
Dana White is intrigued by the Nunes Vs Peña rivalry
With Julianna Peña now the Bantamweight champion, White is convinced ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ has begun to realise the numerous perks of being a world champion in the UFC. White proposes that the motivation of already beating Nunes and being the champ will pose a tougher opponent for Amanda Nunes when the pair run it back at UFC 277 on July 30.
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“And now Julianna’s at a place where she beat her, Julianna’s starting to see a lot of the things that come along with being the world champion now – financially, popularity as you get out in the world,” White expressed.
“That belt is the key that opens a lot of doors. So, I’m sure she wants to get to that Amanda Nunes level, financially and everything else. All that stuff factors into the fight, and those are all questions I can’t answer.”
On the contrary, Dana White states Nunes’s legacy is almost intangible regardless of future results and, furthermore, admits the former dual champ’s rivalry with the 32-year-old Peña might be what she needs to reignite her flame.
“I haven’t seen it, but I do know she does not like Julianna,” White said. “She thinks Julianna has a big mouth and all that other stuff. For her, that would have to be her motivation is to beat Julianna because she doesn’t like her – because for all the other reasons, Amanda doesn’t need to win the fight.” (Transcribed by MMAJunkie.com)