Amanda Nunes doesn’t think Holly Holm would have done any better if she fought Miesha Tate again and believes she is the toughest challenge for the champion at UFC 200, on July 9.
Amanda Nunes disagrees with Holly Holm’s manager, Lenny Fresquez, who said champion Miesha Tate chose the weaker opponent for her first title defense at UFC 200. As “The Lioness” told Combate, she believes she’s more well-rounded and prepared for Tate’s style.
“How am I easier if his fighter was the one who got finished? She was put to sleep. Holly Holm couldn’t defend herself because she lacks jiu-jitsu. If she fights Miesha again, she will be a weak opponent. In order to be a champion, you have to know at least a little bit of everything. With all due respect to the other athletes, I’m the most well prepared one.”
Although Nunes lost to Cat Zingano back in 2014 and has showed cardio problems in the past, she believes those issues are now behind her as she has evolved beyond them.
“I lost to Cat at UFC 178, but since that loss, I’ve been winning and getting better. After that fight I have only been evolving. I came back stronger after all my losses. This is something I always do. I see where I need to improve and that helps me a lot. Even when I win, I notice my mistakes and I don’t make them again. Something got in the way in the third round of my fight against Valentina Shevchenko, but it was no my cardio. We are working on it, because I was ready to fight for three rounds.”
Amanda Nunes will meet Miesha Tate for the female UFC bantamweight title at UFC 200, on July 9, in Las Vegas. The night will also have an interim featherweight title fight between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar and will be headlined by the rematch between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz.