In MMA, many topics spark debate, and there’s rarely a discussion that ends in a unanimous ruling. However, that’s not really the case when dissecting Amanda Nunes’s legacy and place in the sport.
The Brazilian fighter has been unbeaten in the last five years and has picked up belts in two different divisions along the way. Nunes (20-4 MMA, 13-1 UFC), the UFC’s featherweight and bantamweight champion, has been regarded as the greatest of all time in women’s MMA ever since her December 2018 knockout of Cris Cyborg. The label of being the best to ever do it is made often and rarely gets challenged.
Mike Brown, one of Nunes’ main coaches at American Top Team in South Florida, believes it’s quite simple why the champ-champ is easily considered the best female fighter of all time.
“It’s not so hard with the women’s because there’s not that many weights, so they have all fought each other,” Brown told MMA Junkie. “Anybody else that might be in that argument, she’s fought them for the most part.
“She’s fought from almost, besides the 115 division, but 125, 135, and 145 pounds she’s fought nearly every champion that’s ever been in the sport. So there’s not much to argue about, so that’s the reason why it’s so clear. Had she not fought them all, of course there’s always an argument, right? But she’s fought everybody, and she’s already beat them all, so how can you argue for anybody if she’s already beat them? And with Valentina (Shevchenko), it’s twice (that Nunes has beat her). Obviously Valentina is unbelievable and one of the greatest of all time without a doubt, but (Nunes has) climbed that mountain two times.”
Nunes has looked dominant in her run as dual UFC champion. In her most recent title fight, Nunes outclassed former Invicta FC featherweight champ Felicia Spencer at UFC 250. It was a one-sided contest.
Brown believes there are many reasons why Nunes has created such a big gap between her and the rest of the pack.
“One, she’s been in the sport for a long time, so she has a lot of experience,” Brown said. “She’s not new to the game. She was into the sport way before it was cool, way before it paid money, when nobody was into it, so she has a lot of experience. She’s gifted genetically. She has natural punching power. She hits really hard. She’s built for the sport, she has very long limbs, and she’s really strong and technical.
“She started in judo, so she’s got that judo background. She then went into jiu-jitsu, and she has a really good natural feeling for striking. She judges distance well and has many weapons.”
After the bout with Spencer, many wondered who’s next for Nunes since she’s defeated almost all the big names in her divisions while at the same time making it seem she’s far superior to the rest of the competition. Nunes, who’s about to become a mother with her pregnant wife, Nina Ansaroff, has flirted with retirement recently, mentioning lack of challenges in both of her weight classes.
Brown, however, would like to see Nunes remain active and further her legacy.
“I don’t know 100 percent, but at the end of the day money talks, you know,” Brown said regarding Nunes’ status with retirement. “So it might come down to a money thing. I don’t know what fight excites her right now. Maybe it’s probably not a lot of what’s going to be offered to her; maybe it’s not as exciting as what she had to overcome to get to this point.
“Fighting people like Cyborg, who was on a 10-year winning streak, that was pretty big. It doesn’t get much bigger. Or Ronda Rousey or name the challenge that she’s overcome. So how the landscape sits, there’s nothing really … even though there might be challengers that are equally as worthy, if not more worthy in a way, but nothing kind of on paper that’s exciting.
“So it’s going to maybe come down to money, and it will be money that excites her, I don’t know. Maybe boredom. She takes off a few months and decides this normal life is not what I want, I need that adrenaline again. So I’m not certain, but I know the fans want to see her, and I want to see her. She’s an unbelievable talent and the greatest female fighter that’s ever competed.”
Mike Brown certain Amanda Nunes is consensus GOAT, but he's not sure about her UFC return
