Amanda Nunes the UFC 269 submission loss to Julianna Peña helped reignite her fire for fighting. She admits she was without a challenge for a long time.
Nunes entered the fight as a massive favorite and, after the first round, many expected her to cruise to a win. She began to fade, however, and Peña got Nunes down, ultimately getting a submission win. Now, ahead of the rematch at UFC 277, the Brazilian says she is excited to fight again and reclaim her belt.
Amanda Nunes is “Motivated and Fired Up”
“It’s very exciting for me,” Nunes said at UFC 277 media day. “I’ve been here before, so it’s not a surprise or anything like that. You make mistakes, and you pay, and I did. I lost my belt, but after that, I went back home, fixed what I had to fix. If I had to make some adjustments in movement, I did whatever I need to do.”
Official decision: Julianna Peña (12-4) defeats Amanda Nunes (21-5) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) #UFC269 #UFCpic.twitter.com/KUF2iCUgTu
— All Access MMA (@AllAccessMMA247) December 12, 2021
“I’m going to get that thing back,” she continued. “Losing the belt was never something that put me down or sad. It just kept me motivated and fired me up. I always needed that. I needed that kind of push. What Julianna brought was the challenge I needed. I was without a challenge for so long. Now, finally, I get in the position that I like to feel. I like to feel trapped. These are the moments I love the most.”
Entering the rematch at UFC 277 in Dallas, Nunes is confident she has what it takes to get her hand raised. She wants to prove the first fight last December against Peña was a fluke.
“When the lioness is going to attack the prey, they don’t always take it the first time,” Nunes said. “But the second time, for sure. It’s going to be more precise. Now I’m here, and I’m going to get my belt back on Saturday.”
