It’s no secret that UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes is looking at Ronda Rousey to be her opponent for her first title defense. Unfortunately for the Brazilian, she won’t be fighting Rousey at Madison Square Garden, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to give up pursuing the money fight.
Nunes told Combate (transcribed by MMA Fighting) that nothing’s been set up in terms of the opponent and date for her next fight.
"I don’t know anything yet, I’m waiting for the call. It’s highly likely, right?" Nunes said. "Those girls are crazy. Julianna Pena says I’m running from her, Valentina Shevchenko also said I’m running from her, and now she’s saying Juliana Pena is running from her, too. I don’t like to play games.
The 28-year-old fought Shevchenko at UFC 196, winning by decision, although she spent much of round 3 on the defensive as her cardio waned. Pena is 4-0 in the UFC, including a victory over Cat Zingano, the only woman to defeat Nunes inside the Octagon. Pena and Shevchenko were on course to fight each other at UFC 205, but that fell apart.
"If they ask me who I want to fight, I’m going to say I want to fight Ronda,” Nunes continued. “I’m not running from anyone, I’m the champion and I can choose who I’m going to fight. I will choose what’s best for me and Ronda would be ‘the’ main fight, that’s why it has to be against her, it has to be with Ronda."
Nunes won the title in the UFC 200 main event with a thorough 1st round dismantling of Miesha Tate. Rousey hasn’t fought since Holly Holm knocked her out with a head kick at UFC 193. A recent report said that Rousey was offered to fight Nunes at UFC 207 on December 30th, although there’s been no follow-up to that story. Rousey’s coach, Edmond Tarverdyan, told reporters to ask about Ronda’s return in two months.