Amanda Nunes Briefly Considered Retirement After Upset Loss to Julianna Pena

Amanda
Nunes’ loss to Julianna
Pena at UFC 269 was one of the biggest upsets in the sport’s
history, and it took a mental toll on the Brazilian in the
immediate aftermath.

In fact, Nunes considered calling it a career following the
second-round submission defeat at UFC 269.

“I was very confused. Losing my belt was crazy,” Nunes said in a
recent interview with ESPN. “But at the
same time, I know I was sad. Something was wrong. Something wasn’t
right. And that’s why it looked, like, not real for me. And then
when actually I saw [coach Din Thomas],
right in the arena outside, and I gave him a hug, I looked at him
and I said, ‘I think I’m done.’ And we looked at each other, and he
looked [at me]: ‘Are you sure? OK, call me later. Talk to me
later.’”

Ultimately, Nunes had a change of heart, which would set the stage
for a rematch with Pena in 2022.

“I drove back home, and I was putting my thoughts together.
Everything. What I went through, going through that camp,
everything that I was upset about. And I was sad too, a couple
moments in the camp,” Nunes said.

“When I put everything together and me and [wife Nina Nunes]
were talking, I said, ‘I cannot leave my belt with Julianna. It can
be [anyone] else but her. I cannot leave my belt with that girl.
She’s not deserving of that belt. She didn’t do anything to really
deserve to hold that belt.’”

“Lioness” regained the bantamweight crown with a dominant
five-round verdict over Pena in the UFC 277 main event last July. A
trilogy was slated for the UFC
289 main event before Pena was forced to withdraw due to broken
ribs. According to Nunes, Aldana was supposed to be her next title
defense all along.

“That actually was the original opponent. Me and the UFC were
talking about it, and they wanted Aldana next,” Nunes said.
“Everything was lined up to be Aldana. I don’t know if Julianna
cried about it and whatever happened and she ended up getting one
more opportunity. But now we are here with the original opponent. I
was ready for either. My job is to defend the belt.”

UFC 289 takes place on June 10 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver,
British Columbia, and features the showdown between Nunes and
Aldana. In the co-main event, Beneil
Dariush will square off against Charles
Oliveira in a pivotal lightweight bout.