5 times that Amanda Nunes proved her greatness inside the octagon

#2. Amanda Nunes vs. Ronda Rousey – UFC 207

Amanda Nunes ended the Ronda Rousey era in brutal fashion at UFC 207

Despite her big UFC title win over Miesha Tate, it’s probably safe to say that Amanda Nunes still had her doubters when she entered UFC 207 to face off against Ronda Rousey.

Sure, Rousey hadn’t fought in over a year following her shocking knockout loss at the hands of Holly Holm, but ‘Rowdy’ was still well established as the biggest female star in UFC history.

What’s more, Rousey had blown opponents such as Tate, Cat Zingano, and Alexis Davis out of the water. Many fans expected her to throw Nunes on her head and finish her with her trademark armbar.

Of course, what actually happened couldn’t have been further from that.

‘The Lioness’ simply didn’t let Rousey even get into gear, let alone out of first gear. She walked her down and within seconds, had her hurt with a big punch. From there, Nunes unleashed a truly vicious combination that destroyed ‘Rowdy’, forcing a referee stoppage in under a minute.

Prior to this bout, Amanda Nunes felt almost like a placeholder in the UFC bantamweight division. After it, it was clear that the Rousey era was done and the era of ‘The Lioness’ had begun.

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#1. Amanda Nunes vs. Cris Cyborg – UFC 232

Amanda Nunes' win over Cris Cyborg turned her into a genuine UFC superstar

By 2018, Amanda Nunes had definitely established herself as the dominant force in the UFC’s bantamweight division. She’d made three successful defenses of her title after dethroning Miesha Tate two years prior.

However, when it was announced that she was stepping up to fight UFC featherweight champ Cris Cyborg at UFC 232 in a champion vs. champion bout, it was hard not to believe she was biting off more than she could chew.

Cyborg hadn’t lost a fight in well over a decade and had destroyed basically every opponent she’d faced inside the UFC and outside the promotion. She also held a big size advantage over ‘The Lioness’.

However, in one of the most shocking moments in UFC history, Nunes showed that not only did she have a speed advantage over her larger foe, she also carried absolutely insane power in her hands.

In the opening exchange of the fight, Nunes’ straighter, more technical punches landed before Cyborg’s wilder shots and left her badly stunned.

Before the Brazilian could even hope to recover, ‘The Lioness’ swarmed all over her. Nunes destroyed her with a combination, leaving her unconscious on the ground in under a minute.

This fight not only made Amanda Nunes a rare double UFC champion, but also turned her into a genuine superstar and established her as the greatest female fighter in MMA history too. This is something she’s only gone onto establish further since.