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Ex-UFC champion Amanda Nunes reveals nerve damage led to retirement: ‘My body needs this’

Despite her dominance throughout her reign as both undisputed featherweight and bantamweight champion under the banner of the UFC, Amanda Nunes has revealed a series of niggling injuries and nerve damage built up throughout her career, ultimately forced her hand into retirement. Nunes, a former two-weight champion under the banner of the Dana White-led organization, […]

Nunes, a former two-weight champion under the banner of the Dana White-led organization, confirmed her retirement from active competition back in June following her main event bout at UFC 289 in Canada, landing a unanimous decision win over challenger, Irene Aldana to successfully defend her crown.

Amanda Nunes claims a slew of niggling injuries led to her retirement

Hanging up her gloves after a glittering, gold-laden professional career, Nunes has revealed that a slew of little injuries and, in particular, nerve damage, has forced to her to call time on her spectacular career.

“I cannot kick as much anymore,” Amanda Nunes told Sports Illustrated during a recent interview. “My legs have nerve damage from over the years. So things are starting to get harder for me. My shoulders need rest, my knees. Even my teeth need work after getting hit in the mout so many times. I don’t seem myself back in the cage any time soon. I am looking forward to a break. My body needs this.”

“I wanted Dana to know first,” Amanda Nunes explained. “That was my best opportunity to tell him. I wasn’t sure until then. I needed to feel it in the moment. So, as soon as the fight was over, I told him, ‘I’m done.’ I need to take care of my body and give it a break. We’ll see what happens in the future.”

Reclaiming her bantamweight crown back in July of last year in a one-sided rematch win over Julianna Peña to avenge a shocking 2021 submission loss to the Washington native, over the course of her sparkling career, Nunes has racked up other notable wins over the likes of Valentina Shevchenko, Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm, Germaine de Randamie, Julianna Peña, and Irene Aldana.

Amanda Nunes is revered as one of the best MMA fighters of all time

Beneil Dariush eyes quick turnaround after UFC 289 stoppage loss: ‘I’ll become a champion another day’

Seeing his stunning eight-fight winning run halted over the course of last weekend in his UFC 289 title eliminator with former division champion, Charles Oliveira, Kings MMA staple, Beneil Dariush insists he will still clinch gold in the division. Dariush, the current #5 ranked lightweight contender, returned to the Octagon last weekend in the co-main […]

Dariush, the current #5 ranked lightweight contender, returned to the Octagon last weekend in the co-main event of UFC 289 in Vancouver, Canada, suffering a stunning first round TKO loss to former champion, Oliveira, finding himself on the receiving end of a barrage of ground strikes.

Seeing his eight-fight winning run come to a crashing halt against the Sao Paulo finisher, Dariush had positioned himself in the lightweight title-eliminator off the back of a massive run through the ranks, taking out former duel-weight KSW champion, Mateusz Gamrot in a one-sided unanimous decision win at UFC 280 back in October in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Beneil Dariush eyes quick return following UFC 289 loss to Charles Oliveira

Remaining upbeat despite his stoppage loss to Oliveira, Dariush claimed that despite the blemish – he would eventually mint himself as a champion under the banner of the organization.

“I had my moment in the shower where I was just super sad on the on the verge of tears,” Beneil Dariush told Submission Radio during a recent interview. “But then I got out of the shower, looked at my family, grabbed my two daughters, and I walked out like I’m gonna live to fight another day and I’ll become a champion another day. It won’t be today.”

Eyeing a quickfire return to the Octagon before the close of this annum, Iranian-born grappler, Dariush claimed he wanted to remain active and had no interest in a sidelining until 2024.

“At this point, I just need to know that I’m healthy and I can get back inside that Octagon,” Beneil Dariush explained. “Man, please, before the end of the year. Like, I don’t wanna have to wait until next year to fight, ‘cause it’s been so slow for me to get fights. So ideally, I would like to fight before the end of the year.”

Charles Oliveira touted as lightweight GOAT over Khabib Nurmagomedov: ‘He has a pretty damn good résumé’

Off the back of yet another massive victory at UFC 289 last weekend, Charles Oliveira’a status as the greatest lightweight fighter of all time, has been increased tenfold according to bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling – who claims the Brazilian must now be included in conversations including the consensus best, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Co-headlining UFC 289 over […]

Co-headlining UFC 289 over the course of the weekend, Oliveira returned to the winner’s enclosure with a triumph against the surging, Beneil Dariush, defeating the Iranian-born grappler with a slew of opening round ground strikes en route to a TKO stoppage win.

As for Khabib, the former undisputed lightweight champion, retired from active competition back in 2020, improving to 29-0 as a professional with a second round triangle submission win over then-interim champion, Justin Gaethje successfully unifying the division crowns.

Charles Oliveira touted as potential lightweight GOAT following UFC 289 win

Touted as a legitimate contender to the status as the greatest lightweight fighter of all time off the back of his stoppage win over Dariush, record-setting finisher, Oliveira, according to the aforenoted, Sterling is continuing to add to his star-studded résumé.

“What’s the criteria? Is it just accolades? Because if it’s just accolades, Charles Oliveira has a pretty damn good résumé,” Aljamain Sterling said on his official YouTube channel. “From title defenses, style points on finishes, been in the game longer. So for me, I think he has to be within that conversation. You have to include Charles Oliveira in that [conversation] against Khabib (Nurmagomedov).”

“I’m really looking at title defenses, and then winning streak as well,” Sterling explained. “Not like your entire career, I’m talking like in the UFC. Getting those separate win streaks in the UFC, it’s very difficult to do. And seeing someone bounce back from an ‘L’ the way that Oliveira has done time and time again in his career, there’s something to be said about that.” (Transcribed by MMA News)

Expected to make a return to the Octagon later this year, Oliveira has called for a lightweight title fight rematch with Khabib’s training partner, Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 in October in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Michael Chandler chasing rematch with ex-UFC champion Charles Oliveira: ‘I would like to run that one back’

Heaping praise on former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira off the back of his UFC 289 victory over the course of last weekend, division contender, Michael Chandler has claimed that if possible in the future, he would relish the opportunity to fight the Brazilian in a rematch. Chandler, the current #5 ranked lightweight contender, has […]

Chandler, the current #5 ranked lightweight contender, has been sidelined from the Octagon since he featured on the main card of UFC 281 back in November at Madison Square Garden, suffering a third round rear-naked choke submission loss to former interim champion, Dustin Poirier.

Returning to the Octagon at UFC 289 over the course of the weekend, Oliveira managed to return to the winner’s enclosure with a blistering first round win over the streaking, Beneil Dariush, finishing the Iranian-born grappler with a stunning opening frame series of ground strikes en route to a TKO stoppage victory.

Michael Chandler heaps praise on Charles Oliveira following UFC 289

Expected to share the Octagon with former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor next, Chandler, who has served as an opposing coach on The Ultimate Fighter 31 – showered praise on Oliveira’s performance in Canada.

“Guys, Charles Oliveira is an absolute savage,” Michael Chandler said on his YouTube channel. “Charles Oliveira vs. Beniel Dariush; Dariush on a long win streak, Charles Oliveira obviously a ton of fire still in his belly wanting to get that UFC title. Charles Oliveira showed up under the brightest lights, the biggest opportunity, a title eliminator to get him back to a title shot.”

And it remains to be seen if he will get the next title shot against Islam Makhachev, but the way that he fought Saturday night at UFC 289, the dude looks like he is coming back for that title.”

Himself sharing the Octagon with Oliveira in a vacant title fight back in May 2021, Chandler dropped the Sao Paulo native in the opening round with a late knockdown, however, suffered a quickfire second round KO loss to Oliveira in the early goings of the frame.

And maintaining his interest in a future re-run with the promotion’s most prolific finisher, Michael Chandler weighed up a possible rematch with Oliveira in the near future.

“I hope to share the Octagon with him again, eventually,” Michael Chandler explained. “I would like to run that one back, obviously. But the way he looked that night against Dariush [at] UFC 289, was abolutelt masterful. Hat’s off to you, Charles. God bless. See you at the top.”

Julianna Peña left irate after Amanda Nunes denies her trilogy rubber match after UFC 289: ‘She’s dead to me’

Former undisputed bantamweight champion, Julianna Peña has claimed ex-two-weight champion, Amanda Nunes is “dead” to her following the Brazilian’s retirement from active competition at UFC 289 over the weekend – denying the former a championship trilogy rubber match. Peña, a former undisputed bantamweight champion and current #1 ranked bantamweight contender, managed to land a shocking […]

Peña, a former undisputed bantamweight champion and current #1 ranked bantamweight contender, managed to land a shocking victory against Bahia native, Nunes back in December 2021, submitting the former two-division champion with a huge upset win, landing a second round rear-naked choke win.

Back in July of last year atop a UFC 277 pay-per-view event, Julianna Peña would suffer a hugely one-sided unanimous decision loss in the pair’s immediate title rematch – having served as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 30.

And initially scheduled to headline UFC 289 against Nunes over the weekend in Canada, Peña was forced from the title trilogy bout after suffering fractured ribs, resulting in an impromtu pairing of Nunes and Irene Aldana.

Successfully defending her bantamweight crown in a one-sided judging win against Aldana, Nunes would announce her immediate retirement from mixed martial arts competition, leaving the attending Peña high and dry regarding a potential trilogy rubber match in the future.

Julianna Peña also branded herself as the greatest female fighter of all time

Declaring herself as the greatest female fighter of all time following Nunes’ retirement, Washington native, Peña revealed the Brazilian is now “dead” to her in the wake of her exit from the sport.

“At the end of the day, she’s (Amanda Nunes) retired, she’s off in the sunset, she’s dead to me at this point, and we’ve just got to keep the division moving,” Julianna Peña told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “Now, we’re stepping into day one of the ‘Peña Power’ era. I’m the champ, I’ve always been the champ in my heart and in my head. … So it’s just a matter of time before the belt’s around my waist again.”

Offered a route back to the title in the immediate aftermath of UFC 289, Peña has been offered a fight by former title challenger, Raquel Pennington, while surging flyweight contender, Erin Blanchfield is reportedly set to weigh-up a division move in a vacant title fight with Peña.

Ex-UFC champion Julianna Peña brands herself the ‘Greatest female fighter of all time’

Former undisputed bantamweight champion, Julianna Peña is steadfast in her opinion, that she is the best female mixed martial artist to ever compete – in the wake of the sudden retirement of arch-rival and former foe, Amanda Nunes over the weekend at UFC 289. Peña, the current #1 ranked bantamweight contender and former undisputed division […]

Peña, the current #1 ranked bantamweight contender and former undisputed division champion, has yet to return to the Octagon since July of last year, headlining UFC 277 against the above-mentioned, Nunes, dropping her undisputed bantamweight title in a hugely one-sided unanimous decision loss.

First facing Bahia native, Nunes in the co-main event of UFC 269 in December 2021, Peña turned in a shocking stoppage win over the two-weight champion, submitting the Brazilian with a highlight-reel second round rear-naked choke.

And initially scheduled to headline UFC 289 last weekend in a title trilogy rubber match with Nunes, Peña was forced from the bantamweight title fight after suffering a fractured rib, with Mexican challenger, Irene Aldana replacing her as a result.

Responding to Nunes’ victory over Aldana and subsequent immediate retirement from mixed martial arts, Peña, who has now been denied a decider with the former two-weight champion, claimed she forced Nunes into a retirement due to her ability.

Expected to be involved in a vacant title fight at the bantamweight limit, Peña has been called out by former title challenger, Raquel Pennington, while flyweight contender, Erin Blanchfield, has reportedly offered to make a division climb in pursuit of a title fight with Peña.

Julianna Peña touts her own ability following UFC 289

Despite the retirement of Nunes – whom many have considered to be the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time, according to Peña, she herself, is actually the best female fighter to ever compete in combat sports.

“The greatest female fighter of all time, according to me, is me,” Julianna Peña told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “You wanna know why? Because, I’m not a fighter, I’m a warrior. I’m a warrior that lives inside and that’s the difference.”

“Amanda’s (Nunes) a fighter, and I’m a warrior,” Julianna Peña explained. “I’m the greatest warrior and I’m the greatest fighter of all time. And I believe that with my heart, because I never stop coming. You’re gonna have to put me to sleep, or knock me the f*ck out, to get me to stop coming after you.”