UFC 207: Amanda Nunes vs. Ronda RouseyJan 18, 2017 by Jim Edwards
Amanda Nunes: 'Miesha Tate Way Better Fighter Than Ronda Rousey'
Amanda Nunes: 'Miesha Tate Way Better Fighter Than Ronda Rousey'
UFC women's bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes says Miesha Tate a tougher opponent than Ronda Rousey.
What a start to the year it has been for Amanda Nunes.
Three weeks have passed since her destruction of Ronda Rousey at UFC 207, but the Brazilian is still in high demand across the media and is still fielding questions about the 48-second destruction.
Joining Andy Nesbitt on Fox Sports "On The Buzzer" on Tuesday, the champion said that her victory was impressive but not flawless, and there were still things she could learn from it.
"I made mistakes," Nunes said when asked if she'd watched the fight back. "She touched my head a few times because I had my hands down and I shouldn't do that. Yes, it was easy, even my camp was easy. I had like three days off when I took Nina (Ansaroff) to Disney. It was an easy camp."
Nunes then spoke about how she believed her fight against Miesha Tate at UFC 200 in July was the harder fight for her and how the circumstances surrounding the fight made it more difficult.
"Definitely not--I was so focused and nothing could've stopped me from doing what I wanted to do and it was awesome," Nunes said about UFC 207. "UFC 200 was big for me too--it was huge. For me it was like crazy and everything changed the week of the fight. I was suddenly the main event and I had to be ready.
"This one [UFC 207], I knew the whole time I was going to be the main event, so I was mentally stronger you know. Honestly, my camp for Miesha Tate was harder than it was for Ronda."
Having been in the Octagon with both Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey, Nunes gave her assessment on who the better fighter was.
"Miesha Tate is a better fighter, way better than Ronda Rousey," Nunes said. "The thing is she can't beat Ronda Rousey, but Miesha Tate is a really tough opponent. She has great wrestling and ground game, she can strike you too. The camp was more hard, but Ronda Rousey, I know how to beat Ronda Rousey and I took time off during my camp."
[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPYyx3Ojkdg/" hide_caption="0"]
Asked how her life had changed at all since defeating the former Olympic bronze medalist, Nunes said it had but that the UFC couldn't made the whole process of her popularity growing a lot easier.
"Honestly the UFC can make anyone famous," Nunes said. "If they like you then they are going to make you [famous]. I needed to beat Ronda Rousey to be famous. If they want to make me famous they can.
"For sure after the fight I made sure everybody knew who I am. It was amazing and I think after this fight a lot of people now know me and I think [life] will be totally different."
While the Rousey backlash still rumbles on, Nunes has her eyes set forwards, and she's been vocal about what she wants her next steps to be. The 28-year-old has her eyes on more gold, and it's the new UFC women's featherweight title she wants.
"I want to move up," Nunes said. "I want to face the winner of the women's featherweight [bout at UFC 208]. We will see, but I want two belts. I want to make history; it's never happened before. In the UFC, no woman has ever done this before, and I want to be the first one like I was the first Brazilian [women's champion], the first gay. I want to be the first woman to have two belts and I will be."
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Three weeks have passed since her destruction of Ronda Rousey at UFC 207, but the Brazilian is still in high demand across the media and is still fielding questions about the 48-second destruction.
Joining Andy Nesbitt on Fox Sports "On The Buzzer" on Tuesday, the champion said that her victory was impressive but not flawless, and there were still things she could learn from it.
"I made mistakes," Nunes said when asked if she'd watched the fight back. "She touched my head a few times because I had my hands down and I shouldn't do that. Yes, it was easy, even my camp was easy. I had like three days off when I took Nina (Ansaroff) to Disney. It was an easy camp."
Nunes then spoke about how she believed her fight against Miesha Tate at UFC 200 in July was the harder fight for her and how the circumstances surrounding the fight made it more difficult.
"Definitely not--I was so focused and nothing could've stopped me from doing what I wanted to do and it was awesome," Nunes said about UFC 207. "UFC 200 was big for me too--it was huge. For me it was like crazy and everything changed the week of the fight. I was suddenly the main event and I had to be ready.
"This one [UFC 207], I knew the whole time I was going to be the main event, so I was mentally stronger you know. Honestly, my camp for Miesha Tate was harder than it was for Ronda."
Having been in the Octagon with both Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey, Nunes gave her assessment on who the better fighter was.
"Miesha Tate is a better fighter, way better than Ronda Rousey," Nunes said. "The thing is she can't beat Ronda Rousey, but Miesha Tate is a really tough opponent. She has great wrestling and ground game, she can strike you too. The camp was more hard, but Ronda Rousey, I know how to beat Ronda Rousey and I took time off during my camp."
[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPYyx3Ojkdg/" hide_caption="0"]
Asked how her life had changed at all since defeating the former Olympic bronze medalist, Nunes said it had but that the UFC couldn't made the whole process of her popularity growing a lot easier.
"Honestly the UFC can make anyone famous," Nunes said. "If they like you then they are going to make you [famous]. I needed to beat Ronda Rousey to be famous. If they want to make me famous they can.
"For sure after the fight I made sure everybody knew who I am. It was amazing and I think after this fight a lot of people now know me and I think [life] will be totally different."
While the Rousey backlash still rumbles on, Nunes has her eyes set forwards, and she's been vocal about what she wants her next steps to be. The 28-year-old has her eyes on more gold, and it's the new UFC women's featherweight title she wants.
"I want to move up," Nunes said. "I want to face the winner of the women's featherweight [bout at UFC 208]. We will see, but I want two belts. I want to make history; it's never happened before. In the UFC, no woman has ever done this before, and I want to be the first one like I was the first Brazilian [women's champion], the first gay. I want to be the first woman to have two belts and I will be."
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