Amanda Nunes is being called the anti-Bethe Correia for her approach to a potential matchup with Ronda Rousey.
Where women like Miesha Tate and Bethe Correia have managed to secure matches against the UFC Bantamweight Champion without pulling off any great feats of MMA to show that they belong in the same cage, Nunes appears to be very humbled and focused on “proving” her way there.
She got off to a good start Saturday night with an impressive first round submission victory against the previously touted Sara McMann.
In submitting McMann in less than a round, she also put on a good display of hands, dropping her opponent early in the fight to set up the rear-naked choke finish.
Does that qualify Amanda Nunes for a title shot? At 10-4, she seems aware that another fight is a possibility but is walking the right path.
In comments reported by Fox Sports after her dominant victory, Nunes emphasized that her game is getting better and that she will do what the UFC asks of her with the eventual goal of standing across from Ronda Rousey in which the champ would be a heavy favorite.
“I keep getting better and better,” Nunes said. “I have good striking and my background is in jiu-jitsu and I’ve been training judo my whole life, too. I think it’s going to be a very good match because I have my background in judo and jiu-jitsu like Ronda. Now she’s better in striking and so it’s going to be good.”
Nunes also took a not-so-indirect shot at Bethe Correia when pressed by the media.
“I don’t need to talk, I’m going to show. I’m going to step in the cage and do my thing. I’m going to win more bonuses and knock people out. For sure, I’m going to have my title shot soon.”
As many MMA fans will remember, Bethe Correia took several personal shots at Rousey leading up to a crushing and humiliating knockout loss in just 34 seconds at UFC 190 .
Some of that talk included a veiled joke at the expense of Rousey’s father, who committed suicide when his daughter was just eight-years-old.
With Saturday’s victory, Amanda Nunes certainly makes a case for a title shot, though there are still a couple of competitors ahead of her, particularly two of the women responsible for two of her four losses: Cat Zingano and Alexis Davis.
Do you think Amanda Nunes could be ready to fight Rousey by early next year? Sound off in the comments section.
[Image via Amanda Nunes Twitter]