Amanda Nunes hasn’t had a change of heart since hanging up her gloves in June.
Former dual-champion Nunes (23-5 MMA, 16-2 UFC) retired after a lopsided decision win over Irene Aldana to retain her bantamweight title at UFC 289.
Considering that she’s still performing at an elite level, “The Lioness’” announcement came as a surprise to many. But Nunes says the milage on her body has become too much.
“I cannot kick as much anymore,” Nunes told Sports Illustrated. “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 mouth so many times. I don’t see myself back in the cage any time soon. I am looking forward to a break. My body needs this.”
Nunes was originally slated to face Julianna Peña in a trilogy bout at UFC 289, before an injury forced Peña out of the fight and she was replaced by Aldana. Regardless of who she fought that night, Nunes says her mind was already set.
“That week, the idea of retiring slowly crept up on me,” Nunes said. “Fight week is intense. I had so much to do. It was very tiring. Every interview, I was asked, ‘When are you going to retire?’ I definitely felt exhausted. I needed a break. The weight cut, everything. I never thought I would have the strength to retire, but I need this break. It was the right moment to go.”
While Nunes seems content as a retired fighter, she didn’t rule out an eventual return to competition.
“I need to take care of my body and give it a break,” Nunes said. “We’ll see what happens in the future.”
