Amanda Nunes: The Life Story Behind MMA's Lioness
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Amanda Nunes is the greatest female fighter in the history of mixed martial arts, and the argument for that title is not close. She beat Ronda Rousey in forty-eight seconds. She beat Cris Cyborg in fifty-one seconds. She won titles in two weight divisions, she held both belts at the same time, and she defended them against the best fighters of her generation. She did it with power, with patience, and with a calm that made her seem almost unbothered by the biggest moments in the sport. They called her the Lioness, and the name fitted, because she was strong, she was proud, and she was not afraid of anyone. She came from a small town in Brazil, she trained in judo and boxing, and she became a champion who changed what people thought a woman could do in a cage.
She grew up in Pojuca, a town in the state of Bahia, in the north-east of Brazil, where life was simple and where sport offered a way to a better life. Her mother raised her and her sisters, and Amanda learned to be tough from an early age. She played football, she trained in judo, and she discovered boxing, a sport that suited her power and her temperament. She moved to the United States to pursue MMA, she fought in small promotions, and she joined the UFC in 2013, when women’s MMA was still new and when few people believed that a woman from Brazil could become the best in the world. She proved them wrong, and she did it in a way that left no doubt.
Her career had everything: great wins, a shocking loss, a comeback, and a retirement at the top. She lost to Julianna Peña in December 2021, in one of the great upsets in UFC history, and she came back seven months later and beat Peña clearly to regain her title. She retired in June 2023, after defending her title one last time, and she left the sport as the greatest female fighter who has ever lived. This is the story of the Lioness, of her power, her patience, and her place in history.
Pojuca, Judo, and a Girl Who Liked to Fight
Amanda Lourenço Nunes was born on 30 May 1988 in Pojuca, Bahia, Brazil, a small town in the north-east of the country, far from the big cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. She grew up with her mother, Ivete, and her two sisters, in a family that was close and hard-working. Her father was not a central part of her childhood, and Amanda has spoken about being raised by her mother, who worked hard to provide for the family. Life in Pojuca was simple, and Amanda learned early that she had to be tough, to stand up for herself, and to work for what she wanted. She played football as a girl, she was athletic, and she was drawn to sports that allowed her to compete and to test herself.
As a teenager, Amanda began training in judo, a Japanese martial art that teaches throws, holds, and submissions, and she earned a brown belt in the art. She also began boxing, and she discovered that she had natural power in her hands, a power that would become her greatest weapon in MMA. She trained in a small gym, with old equipment, and she learned the basics of striking and grappling. She was not a rich girl, and she was not a girl with connections in the sport. She was a girl from a small town who liked to fight, and who was good at it. That simple truth carried her further than anyone in Pojuca could have imagined.
Amanda began her MMA career in Brazil, fighting in small promotions for small money, and she won her first fights, showing a style that was already clear: she was a powerful striker, with heavy hands, and she was not afraid to stand and trade punches with anyone. She lost some early fights, including a loss to Ana Maria in 2009, and she learned from those defeats, improving her grappling and her defence. She moved to the United States, to Florida, to train at a better gym, and she fought in Strikeforce, a major American promotion, where she beat Julia Budd in 2011. When Strikeforce was bought by the UFC, Amanda joined the biggest promotion in the world, and she made her UFC debut in August 2013, beating Sheila Gaff by knockout in the first round. She was twenty-five years old, she was fighting in the UFC, and she was about to begin a career that would make her a legend.
The Long Climb to the Bantamweight Title
Amanda Nunes’s early UFC career was a mix of wins and losses, and it showed that she was still learning. She beat Sheila Gaff, she lost to Cat Zingano in September 2014, in a fight in which she was winning early and then ran out of energy, and she beat Shayna Baszler in March 2015. She beat Sara McMann in August 2015, and she beat Valentina Shevchenko in March 2016, in a close fight that showed her improvement. Each win taught her something, and each loss taught her more. She learned to pace herself, to manage her energy, and to fight with patience, rather than rushing in and throwing everything she had in the first round. That patience would become one of her greatest strengths.
In July 2016, Amanda fought Miesha Tate for the UFC bantamweight title in Las Vegas, at UFC 200. Tate was a popular champion, a tough American fighter, and a former titleholder who had won the belt from Holly Holm earlier that year. Amanda fought a brilliant fight, hurting Tate early with punches, taking her down, and submitting her with a rear-naked choke in the first round. It was a stunning performance, and it made Amanda the UFC bantamweight champion. She was the first Brazilian woman to win a UFC title, and she was the first openly lesbian fighter to win a UFC title, a fact that mattered to many people, in Brazil and around the world, who saw in her a champion who was open about who she was.
The Tate win began a reign that would last for years, and during that reign Amanda beat the best fighters in the division. She defended the title against Ronda Rousey in December 2016, knocking her out in forty-eight seconds, in a fight that ended Rousey’s MMA career. She defended it against Valentina Shevchenko in a rematch in September 2017, winning a close split decision. She defended it against Raquel Pennington in May 2018, stopping her in the fifth round. Each defence added to her reputation, and each one showed a different part of her game: her power, her patience, and her ability to adapt to any opponent. She was not only a champion. She was becoming the greatest female fighter of all time. She defended her bantamweight title against Germaine de Randamie in December 2019, in Las Vegas, winning a clear unanimous decision after five rounds. De Randamie was a former featherweight champion, a skilled Dutch striker, and a fighter known for her kickboxing, and Amanda outstruck her, controlled the fight, and won every round on two of the judges’ cards. The win was important, because it showed that Amanda could win a five-round decision, not only a quick knockout, and that she could adapt her style to a patient, technical opponent. It was her fourth bantamweight defence, and it added another great name to a record that was already the best in women’s MMA history.
Rousey in Forty-Eight Seconds
The fight against Ronda Rousey, on 30 December 2016 at UFC 207 in Las Vegas, is one of the most famous fights in women’s MMA history, and it lasted less than a minute. Rousey had been the biggest star in women’s MMA, the first women’s champion in the UFC, and a fighter who had dominated the division for years. She had lost to Holly Holm in November 2015, in a shocking upset, and she had taken more than a year away from the sport. She returned to face Amanda, and many people expected her to win back her title. Amanda had other plans. She landed punches from the start, she hurt Rousey, and she did not stop. The referee stopped the fight after forty-eight seconds, and Amanda had defended her title in less than a minute, against the most famous female fighter in the world.
The win changed Amanda’s life. She was no longer only a champion. She was the woman who had beaten Ronda Rousey, and that made her a star. It also showed the world what Amanda could do when she was at her best. She was fast, she was powerful, and she was precise, and she did not give her opponent a chance to recover. Rousey never fought in MMA again, and her career ended that night, in Las Vegas, at the hands of a Brazilian fighter who had come from a small town and who had worked for years to reach that moment. Amanda did not celebrate in a loud or boastful way. She thanked her team, she thanked her family, and she went back to training. That humility, in a moment of such triumph, is one of the reasons she is so respected.
Cyborg and the Second Belt
In December 2018, Amanda Nunes moved up to featherweight and fought Cris Cyborg, a Brazilian fighter who was widely regarded as the most feared woman in MMA, a champion who had not lost in more than thirteen years and who had knocked out almost every opponent she had faced. Cyborg was bigger, stronger, and more experienced at featherweight, and most people expected her to beat Amanda. The fight, at UFC 232 in Los Angeles, lasted fifty-one seconds. Amanda landed a right hand that hurt Cyborg, she followed with punches, and Cyborg fell. The referee stopped the fight, and Amanda became the first woman in UFC history to hold titles in two weight divisions at the same time. She was the bantamweight champion and the featherweight champion, and she had beaten the two most famous women in the sport, Rousey and Cyborg, in less than a minute each.
The Cyborg win is the achievement that defines Amanda’s career, and it is the one that historians will point to when they argue about where she belongs among the greats. She beat a fighter who had been unbeaten for thirteen years, in her own division, in less than a minute, and she did it with a calm and a precision that made it look easy. It was not easy. It was the result of years of training, of studying Cyborg, and of believing that she could win. Amanda had prepared for the fight with her team, she had worked on her striking, and she had come into the cage with a plan. She executed the plan perfectly, and she became a double champion. The win made her a legend, and it made her the greatest female fighter of all time, beyond any reasonable argument.
Amanda defended both titles in the years that followed, beating Holly Holm in July 2019, knocking her out with a head kick in the first round, and beating Germaine de Randamie in December 2019, winning a clear decision. She beat Felicia Spencer in June 2020, defending her featherweight title, and she beat Megan Anderson in March 2021, stopping her in the first round. She was the double champion, she was winning every fight, and she seemed unbeatable. Then, in December 2021, she faced Julianna Peña, and everything changed.
The Peña Loss and the Comeback
In December 2021, Amanda Nunes faced Julianna Peña, an American fighter who was a heavy underdog, at UFC 269 in Las Vegas. Peña was tough, she was durable, and she was not afraid of Amanda, but few people gave her a chance. Amanda won the first round clearly, hurting Peña with punches, and it seemed as though the fight would end early. In the second round, Peña came back, landing punches of her own, and Amanda, who seemed tired, began to slow down. Peña took her down, she controlled her on the ground, and she submitted her with a rear-naked choke. It was one of the greatest upsets in UFC history, and it ended Amanda’s reign as bantamweight champion. She had been unbeaten for seven years, and she had lost to a fighter no one expected to beat her. The loss was shocking, and it left Amanda, and her fans, wondering whether her time at the top was over.
Amanda did not retire, and she did not make excuses. She went back to the gym, she changed her training, and she prepared for a rematch. She has spoken about the loss with honesty, saying that she had not trained properly, that she had been distracted, and that she had taken Peña lightly. She took responsibility, and she worked to correct her mistakes. The rematch took place in July 2022, at UFC 277 in Dallas, and Amanda fought a brilliant fight. She took Peña down again and again, she controlled her on the ground, she landed punches and elbows, and she won a clear unanimous decision, regaining her bantamweight title. It was a complete performance, and it showed that Amanda could learn from a defeat and come back stronger. The comeback is one of the most impressive parts of her career, because it proved that she was not only a great champion, but a great competitor, a woman who could lose and return.
Retirement at the Top and a Family Life
Amanda Nunes fought for the last time in June 2023, against Irene Aldana, a Mexican fighter, at UFC 289 in Vancouver, Canada. She defended her bantamweight title, winning a clear unanimous decision, and after the fight she announced her retirement, laying her belts down in the cage and saying that she had achieved everything she wanted to achieve. She was thirty-five years old, she had been a champion for seven years, and she had beaten every great fighter of her generation. She retired as the greatest female fighter of all time, and she did so while she was still the champion, while she was still winning, and while she was still at the top of her game. It was a fitting end to a great career, and it was a decision that showed the same wisdom that Georges St-Pierre had shown when he retired: know when to stop, and stop while you are still great.
Amanda’s life outside the cage is centred on her family. She is married to Nina Nunes, a former UFC fighter, and together they have two daughters, Raegan and, later, a second child. Amanda has spoken openly about being a mother, about the challenges of training while raising children, and about the joy of family life. She lives in Florida, she trains, and she enjoys a quieter life than the one she lived as a champion. She has also spoken about the possibility of returning to fighting, and in 2025 she announced that she would come out of retirement, a decision that surprised many people. Whether she fights again, and who she fights, remains to be seen, but her legacy is already secure, even if she never steps into the cage again.
Her place in history is already assured. She is the greatest female fighter of all time, the first woman to hold two UFC titles at the same time, and the woman who beat Rousey and Cyborg in less than a minute each. She is also a role model for women in Brazil and around the world, a woman who came from a small town, who worked hard, and who became the best in the world. That is a legacy to be proud of, and it is one that will last.
What the Lioness Leaves Behind
Amanda Nunes leaves behind a record that may never be matched. She won titles in two weight divisions, she held both belts at the same time, she defended her bantamweight title seven times, and she beat every great female fighter of her generation, including Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, Valentina Shevchenko, Holly Holm, and Julianna Peña. She did it with power, with patience, and with a calm that made her seem almost unbothered by the biggest moments in the sport. She was not a trash-talker, she was not a showman, and she was not a celebrity in the way that some fighters are. She was a fighter, a champion, and a Lioness, and she let her performances speak for her.
Her influence on women’s MMA is enormous. Before Amanda, women’s MMA was dominated by Ronda Rousey, and many people thought that no one could beat her. Amanda beat her in forty-eight seconds, and she showed that women’s MMA was bigger than one star. She showed that a woman from Brazil, from a small town, could become the best in the world, and she inspired a generation of young girls in Brazil and around the world to take up the sport. She also showed that a fighter could be openly lesbian, could be a mother, and could be a champion, all at the same time, and that none of those things made her any less of a fighter. That openness matters, because it gives young people a role model who is honest about who she is, and who does not hide any part of herself.
Amanda’s story is also a story about resilience. She lost early in her career, she lost to Zingano, and she lost to Peña, and each time she came back stronger. She learned from her defeats, she changed her training, and she returned to win. That ability to learn and to return is the mark of a true champion, and it is the reason Amanda’s career lasted so long and achieved so much. She did not only win. She learned, she grew, and she became better with each fight, even when the fights did not go her way. That is a lesson for anyone who has ever failed, in sport or in life: failure is not the end. It is a chance to learn, and to come back stronger.
The Shevchenko Rematch and a Rivalry of Respect
The rivalry between Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko is one of the most respected in women’s MMA, and it deserves to be told in full. They first fought in March 2016, before Amanda won her title, and Amanda won a unanimous decision in a close fight. They fought again in September 2017, at UFC 215 in Edmonton, Canada, for Amanda’s bantamweight title, and Amanda won again, this time by split decision, in a fight that was close and hard, and that many people thought could have gone either way. Shevchenko was a skilled striker from Kyrgyzstan, a former kickboxer, and a fighter known for her precision and her patience, and she pushed Amanda further than anyone had before. The two women respected each other, they did not trash-talk, and they fought with a sportsmanship that was admirable. Shevchenko went on to become the flyweight champion, and she remains one of the greatest female fighters of all time, but she never beat Amanda, and the two wins over her are among the most important of Amanda’s career. They show that Amanda could beat a great striker, a great technician, and a great champion, not only a powerful puncher.
My Take:
I have watched Amanda Nunes fight many times, and I still find it hard to believe what she did to Ronda Rousey and Cris Cyborg. Forty-eight seconds against Rousey. Fifty-one seconds against Cyborg. Two of the most famous women in MMA history, two fighters who had dominated the sport for years, beaten in less than a minute each, by the same woman, a quiet Brazilian from a small town who did not trash-talk, did not boast, and did not seek attention. That is extraordinary, and it is the reason Amanda is the greatest female fighter of all time. She did not beat Rousey and Cyborg by luck. She beat them by being better, by being faster, by being more powerful, and by being more prepared. She studied them, she trained for them, and she executed her plans perfectly. I think that is a lesson for anyone who wants to achieve something great. You do not need to be loud. You need to be prepared, and you need to be good, and when the moment comes, you need to take it.
I think about Pojuca a great deal, because it is a small town, far from the big cities, and Amanda came from there with nothing but talent and hard work. She did not have the best gym, she did not have the best equipment, and she did not have connections in the sport. She had a mother who worked hard, sisters who supported her, and a love of fighting that would not go away. She trained in judo, she trained in boxing, and she learned to fight in a way that suited her power and her temperament. That background matters, because it shows that greatness can come from anywhere, from a small town in Bahia as easily as from a big city in the United States. It also shows that a girl from a poor family can become the best in the world, if she works hard and if she believes in herself. I hope that young girls in Brazil, and around the world, hear Amanda’s story and believe that they can do the same.
What I admire most about Amanda is her patience. In her early UFC career, she lost to Cat Zingano because she rushed in, threw everything she had, and ran out of energy. She learned from that loss, and she became a more patient fighter, a fighter who waited, who watched, and who found the opening. That patience is what allowed her to beat Rousey and Cyborg so quickly, because she did not rush. She waited for the right moment, and when it came, she took it. Patience is not a glamorous quality, and it is not exciting to watch, but it is the foundation of great fighting, and Amanda mastered it. I think that is a lesson for all of us. In life, as in fighting, rushing rarely helps. Waiting, watching, and choosing the right moment is often the smarter way, and Amanda proved it, again and again.
The loss to Julianna Peña in December 2021 is the part of Amanda’s story that I think about most, because it shows what she is made of. She was the champion, she was the favourite, and she lost to a fighter no one expected to beat her. It was a shocking upset, and it could have ended her career. Instead, Amanda took responsibility, she said she had not trained properly, she changed her training, and she came back seven months later and beat Peña clearly. That is the mark of a true champion. It is not about never losing. It is about what you do after you lose. Amanda showed that she could lose with grace, learn from her mistakes, and return stronger. I think that is a lesson for anyone who has ever failed at something important. Failure is not the end. It is a chance to learn, and to come back better than before.
I also want to say something about Amanda’s openness, because she is the first openly lesbian UFC champion, and that matters. She has never hidden who she is, she has spoken openly about her wife, Nina, and about their children, and she has done it with a quiet dignity that has inspired many people. In a sport that is often macho and traditional, Amanda’s openness is brave, and it is important. It shows young people, especially young people who are struggling with their identity, that they can be themselves, that they can be champions, and that they can be loved for who they are. I think that is a legacy that goes beyond fighting, and it is one that Amanda should be proud of. She did not set out to be a role model for the LGBTQ community, but she became one, because she was honest, because she was brave, and because she was great.
Her retirement in June 2023 was a moment that I think Amanda handled beautifully. She defended her title one last time, she won clearly, and then she laid her belts down in the cage and said goodbye. She did not wait until she was beaten, she did not wait until she was old and slow, and she did not wait until the sport had passed her by. She stopped while she was still the champion, while she was still winning, and while she was still great. That takes wisdom, and it takes courage, because most fighters cannot stop. They keep going, chasing one more win, one more payday, until the sport takes something from them. Amanda did not do that. She walked away, and she did it with grace. I respect that decision enormously, and I hope that other fighters learn from it.
I also think about her family, and about what it means to be a mother and a champion at the same time. Amanda has two daughters, and she has spoken about the challenges of training while raising children, about the joy of family life, and about the importance of being present for her kids. That is a hard balance to strike, and Amanda has done it with a calm and a focus that is admirable. She shows that a woman can be a champion and a mother, that she does not have to choose one or the other, and that both parts of her life can make her stronger. I think that is an important message, not only for fighters, but for women everywhere. You do not have to give up one part of your life to succeed in another. You can be both, and you can be great at both, if you work hard and if you have support.
If I had to choose one word to describe Amanda Nunes, it would be powerful. She was powerful in the cage, powerful in her punches, and powerful in her presence. But she was also powerful in a quieter way, in her patience, in her humility, and in her ability to learn from defeat. That combination, of power and patience, of strength and humility, is rare, and it is the reason she became the greatest female fighter of all time. I think her story will inspire young girls for generations, in Brazil and around the world, and I think that is a legacy to be proud of. Amanda Nunes was the Lioness, and the Lioness ruled her kingdom for seven years, and no one could take her crown from her, except for one night, and even then, she took it back.
I also think about the future, and about whether Amanda will fight again. She announced in 2025 that she would come out of retirement, and that surprised many people. I do not know whether she will fight, or who she will fight, or whether she will win. What I do know is that her legacy is already secure, even if she never fights again. She is the greatest female fighter of all time, and no comeback, win or lose, can change that. If she does return, I hope she does it because she wants to, not because she feels she has to, and I hope she enjoys it. She has given the sport so much, and the sport has given her so much. Whatever she decides, Amanda Nunes will always be the Lioness, and the Lioness will always be remembered.
Finally, I want to say something to anyone who reads Amanda’s story and feels inspired by it. Do not try to be Amanda Nunes. Try to be like her in the ways that matter: work hard, be patient, learn from your defeats, and be honest about who you are. Amanda’s story is not only about fighting. It is about a girl from a small town who became the best in the world, a woman who was open about who she was, a mother who balanced family and career, and a champion who knew when to stop. If you can do those things, in whatever you do, you will have a life to be proud of, whether you ever win a title or not. Amanda won titles, and she won them brilliantly, but the titles are not the most important part of her story. The most important part is the woman herself: strong, patient, humble, and great. I also think about the Holm fight in July 2019, because it shows Amanda’s versatility. Holly Holm was a former boxing champion, a skilled striker, and a fighter who had beaten Ronda Rousey. Amanda knocked her out in the first round with a head kick, a finish that was both beautiful and brutal. It showed that Amanda was not only a powerful puncher. She was a complete striker, with kicks, knees, and punches, and she could finish a fight in many different ways. That versatility is what made her the greatest, because her opponents never knew what was coming. She could knock you out with a punch, with a kick, or with a submission, and she did all three, against the best fighters in the world. I think that is a lesson. Do not rely on one weapon. Learn many, and use the right one at the right moment. Amanda did that, and she became a legend.
There is also a lesson in Amanda’s story about being a mother and a champion. She has two daughters, and she has spoken about the challenges of training while raising children, about the joy of family life, and about the importance of being present for her kids. That is a hard balance to strike, and Amanda has done it with a calm and a focus that is admirable. She shows that a woman can be a champion and a mother, that she does not have to choose one or the other, and that both parts of her life can make her stronger. I think that is an important message, not only for fighters, but for women everywhere. You do not have to give up one part of your life to succeed in another. You can be both, and you can be great at both, if you work hard and if you have support. Amanda had that support, from her wife Nina, from her team, and from her family, and she used it to become the greatest.
Finally, I want to say something about Brazil, and about what Amanda means to her country. She is a hero in Brazil, a woman from Pojuca, a small town in Bahia, who became the best female fighter in the world. She shows young Brazilians, especially young girls, that they can achieve great things, even when they come from a small town, even when they are poor, and even when the odds are against them. That is a powerful message, and it is one that Amanda carries with her wherever she goes. She is not only a fighter. She is a symbol of what Brazil can do, and that is a legacy that will last long after her fighting days are over. I am glad that Brazil has Amanda Nunes, and I am glad that the world got to see her fight. I also think about the Spencer fight in June 2020, because it shows Amanda’s patience in a different way. Felicia Spencer was a tough Canadian fighter, a former Invicta champion, and she was durable, brave, and hard to finish. Amanda beat her by unanimous decision, winning every round, but she did not knock her out, and she did not rush. She fought a disciplined, controlled fight, landing punches and elbows, and winning clearly. That win is a reminder that a champion does not always need a knockout to prove herself. Sometimes, winning clearly, round after round, is enough, and Amanda did that against Spencer, in a fight that showed her maturity as a fighter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Amanda Nunes become UFC champion?
She beat Miesha Tate for the bantamweight title at UFC 200 in July 2016, submitting her in the first round. She was the first Brazilian woman to win a UFC title, and she went on to defend the belt many times.
How fast did Amanda Nunes beat Ronda Rousey?
She knocked Rousey out in forty-eight seconds at UFC 207 in December 2016, defending her bantamweight title. Rousey never fought in MMA again after that loss.
How did Amanda Nunes beat Cris Cyborg?
She moved up to featherweight and knocked Cyborg out in fifty-one seconds at UFC 232 in December 2018. The win made her the first woman to hold UFC titles in two weight divisions at the same time.
Did Amanda Nunes lose to Julianna Peña?
Yes, Peña beat her by submission in December 2021 at UFC 269, in one of the greatest upsets in UFC history. Amanda won the rematch in July 2022 by unanimous decision, regaining her bantamweight title.
When did Amanda Nunes retire?
She retired in June 2023, after defending her bantamweight title against Irene Aldana at UFC 289 in Vancouver. She laid her belts down in the cage, and later spoke in 2025 about a possible return to fighting.
Why is Amanda Nunes called the Lioness?
The nickname reflects her strength, her power, and her fearlessness in the cage. She was known for heavy hands, for patience, and for beating the greatest female fighters of her generation, including Rousey and Cyborg.
