Amanda Nunes Believes She Is Better Than Ronda Rousey
Is Amanda Nunes better than Ronda Rousey? Nunes believes that she is, and she thinks that Rousey, the most heralded woman in mixed martial arts, believes it too. Amanda Nunes gets to prove her case tonight in Las Vegas at UFC 207 when she defends her bantamweight title against Ronda Rousey. It is Nunes’ first title defense.
Most people are excited about Ronda Rousey making her return to the octagon, and her much-ballyhooed return has been hype as a coronation of some sorts. Amanda Nunes is looking to crash the party.
As everyone who follows the UFC recalls, the last time Ronda Rousey was a combatant, she lost to Holly Holm at UFC 193. Holm’s aggressive boxing style kept the former champion off balance throughout the night. Punches came from angles Rousey never saw coming. And the defeat had Rousey so depressed that she admittedly contemplated suicide, according to ESPN.
Holly Holm was a former boxing champion, undefeated in her field at the time she beat Ronda Rousey. Amanda Nunes has considerable boxing skills combined with raw power, not to mention her superior overall ability to that of Holm. All of which is why she is going into UFC 207 feeling very confident.
While Ronda Rousey has kept a low profile leading up to her return, Amanda Nunes has embraced the stage — making the rounds on television and conducting interviews — all things that she can become used to if she can ruin Rousey’s comeback.
In one of her most recent interviews, Amanda Nunes spoke about her mindset going into tonight’s brawl with Fox Sports.
“Obviously I’m very confident. I know what I’m capable of doing and I’ve been training. I know everything Ronda Rousey’s going to bring to the table and I’m ready for her.”
As for the approach she took on during the preparation for UFC 207, she sounded ready.
“This camp we pretty much are getting everything ready — striking, ground, judo defense, judo attacks, positioning and everything. I’m going to be ready for her.”
Amanda Nunes has never been submitted as a mixed martial arts fighter. Keeping that streak going will be a tall task given the fact that Ronda Rousey is one of the best submission artists in the world. It would not be surprising if Nunes’ judo defense appears to be drastically better. If so, the champion could have her hand raised once again.
To be successful requires belief, and Amanda Nunes believes she’s better than her adversary. She also feels that she has several ways to win tonight.
“I think I have ways to win everywhere. Of course, Ronda’s a pretty tough opponent but so is every single girl in this division — but I’m better than all of them. I will show again one more time I am the best in this division. I’m ready to show this and make a statement to this division.”
Again, in order to be successful, one has to believe that they can win. Amanda Nunes not only believes that she can win, she knows she can. Rousey’s inactivity will play a huge role.
No one can have the type of layoff that Ronda Rousey had and not show rust. Things would be different if she had taken a tune-up fight before getting in the octagon with Nunes, but that was never going to be the case, leaving everything to the current circumstances.
A confident Amanda Nunes taking on a silent and determined Ronda Rousey makes for good theater. The time off puts the challenger at a disadvantage. Amanda Nunes knows this. Tonight she will look to prove that she is better.
[Featured Image by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images]
