5 Things You Might Not Know About Amanda Nunes

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Amanda Nunes’ career has reached such unprecedented heights that many now believe she has earned the Greatest of All-Time designation among female mixed martial artists.

The reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s featherweight and bantamweight titleholder currently finds herself on a career-best 10-fight winning streak, with a majority of those victories coming at the expense of her most accomplished contemporaries. Nunes captured the 135-pound throne in July 2016 and the 145-pound crown in December 2018. The 31-year-old American Top Team star last competed at UFC 245, where she took a unanimous decision from Germaine de Randamie on Dec. 14.

As Nunes approaches her first featherweight title defense against Felicia Spencer at UFC 250, here are five things you might not know about her:

1. Few have walked where she walks.

As the current women’s featherweight and bantamweight titleholder, Nunes is one of only four fighters—and the first female—in UFC history to hold championships in two weight classes simultaneously. The others: Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier and Henry Cejudo.

2. She owns a robust resume.

Eight of Nunes’ 19 professional victories have come against current or former UFC titleholders, accounting for 42 percent of her career total. She has beaten de Randamie (twice), Valentina Shevchenko (twice), Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm and Cristiane Justino.

3. Devastating offense has been a hallmark.

Nunes has five sub-minute finishes on her ledger. She owns an 11-second technical knockout of Paty Barbosa, a 14-second knockout of Julia Budd, a 47-second TKO of Ana Maria, a 48-second TKO of Rousey and a 51-second KO of Justino.

4. Her prime years have resulted in overwhelming dominance.

“Lioness” has rattled off 10 consecutive victories, the longest such streak for a female fighter in UFC history. By the time Nunes makes her May 9 title defense against Spencer, a total of 2,051 days will have passed since her most recent setback—a TKO defeat to Cat Zingano on Sept. 27, 2014.

5. Setbacks have been few and far between.

Nunes’ four career losses have taken place in four different organizations: Prime MMA Championship (Maria), Strikeforce (Alexis Davis), Invicta Fighting Championships (Sarah D’Alelio) and the UFC (Zingano).

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