When Amanda Nunes beat Miesha Tate to win the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship in the official UFC 200 main event, not only did she become the first-ever female Brazilian champion in UFC history, she also became the first openly gay champion in the history of the sport.
Nunes, who choked out Tate in the first round to become the new UFC Women’s 135-pound champion, spoke about becoming the first openly gay champion of the UFC at the post-fight press conference held immediately after the event.
“It’s amazing,” Nunes said at the post-presser (watch here). “The most important thing is I’m happy with my life. That’s the most important thing.”
UFC supported the recent tragedies aimed at the LGBTQ community regarding the shootings at the Orlando nightclub with special t-shirts that read “We Are All Fighters,” which Daniel Cormier, Mark Hunt, Anthony Birchak and others helped promote during the build-up to UFC 200.
At the post-presser Nunes also spoke about the Orlando tragedy and the support to the LGBTQ that the UFC and her fellow fighters showed while promoting their biggest event in company history.
“It’s very sad,” Nunes said of the Orlando tragedy. “I wish these things didn’t happen anymore. Peace in the world is very important. I don’t think the USA is gonna let this happen anymore. It’s gonna stop.”
UFC’s Senior Executive Vice President and COO Lawrence Epstein also spoke about the UFC’s recent support of the LGBTQ community in a statement issued this weekend.
“Just as it takes courage to step into the Octagon, it takes courage to stand for what you believe in — and we’re proud to stand with members of the LGBTQ community in their fight for equality. As friends and allies of the LGBTQ community, our hope is to raise awareness and help support community groups like the LGBTQ Center that directly impact LGBTQ individuals.”
For highlights of Amanda Nunes’ impressive victory over Miesha Tate at UFC 200, click here. For detailed, round-by-round results of the entire UFC 200 event, click here.
H/T to Marc Ramondi and MMAFighting.com for transcribing the above Amanda Nunes quotes.