Amanda Nunes Becomes The First To Defend Multiple Titles At UFC 250
Credit: John Locher, Associated Press
Amanda Nunes defeated Felicia Spencer and became the first fighter in UFC history to defend multiple titles at UFC 250 in the process.
On June 6, Amanda Nunes made history as she became the first fighter in UFC history to defend multiple titles in different weight classes. It was there that she defeated Felicia Spencer with a unanimous decision after five rounds.
Nunes established her dominance early and controlled the pace of the fight from there. As she so often does to her opponents, Nunes overpowered Spencer with sheer strength and tenacity, and was able to land a variety of strikes on her. Spencer attempted to grapple Nunes to the ground multiple times, but she was unsuccessful in all of them. Nunes, on the other hand, was able to take Spencer down six times throughout the five rounds.
Grueling minutes of punishment from Nunes left Spencer with open cuts underneath both of her eyes as well as on her scalp. That being said, Spencer displayed an impressive level of toughness in the bout as she was able to stay in the fight despite enduring countless heavy blows from the champion.
From a statistic standpoint, Nunes’ outlanded Spencer 124-42 in significant strikes. She also dominated the ground game by controlling positioning and attempting submissions. The only thing that Nunes was unable to accomplish was a finish, another credit to Spencer for her toughness.
Many fans regard Nunes as the greatest female fighter of all time, and this is with good reason. She has not suffered a loss in nearly six years, as her last defeat came at the hands of Cat Zingano in September 2014. Over two thousand days and almost a dozen fights later, Nunes now possesses both the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship and the UFC Women’s Featherweight Championship.
The current question is, who is left for Nunes to take on? She is the reigning undefeated champion of two separate divisions, and it seems her challengers are just simply not up to the task.
“You know, I don’t know [who is next],” Nunes said. “That was my goal, defending my two belts at the same time. I’m with the greats. I’m so happy right now. I don’t know what’s next. I’m very proud of myself and my team.”
UFC250 was the second event that was held at the UFC Apex Gym in Las Vegas since it resumed competition during the COVID-19 pandemic. The octagon in the Apex is five feet smaller in diameter, leading to a smaller and more compact battleground. The event, like UFC 249, before it was held behind without an audience.
“A break for sure,” Nunes said when asked what is next for the champion. “I have to see what’s going on with my legs. I always get hurt with this leg — I don’t know what’s going on. And my baby is coming in three months, she’s going to be here. I have to organize a lot of things, her room, and I really need a break right now. ... I think maybe off [the rest of the year] for sure.”
Credit: Getty
Written by: Patryk Stepien