Amanda Nunes becomes UFC’s first female double champion
Amanda Nunes defeated Cris Cyborg by TKO in the first round. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Amanda Nunes, the UFC’s first openly gay champion, made history as she knocked out featherweight champion Cris Cyborg.
It took just 51 seconds for bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes to become the first female double champion in UFC sporting history on Saturday (29th December).
The winner of the Women’s Featherweight Championship now holds the title of the first openly gay two weight class champion and also joins Conor McGregor and Daniel Cormier in an elite list of just three fighters to simultaneously hold two UFC world titles.
“When I signed the contract, I said this is going down, I’m going to be the first female two-division champ in the UFC,” Nunes said after the fight.
“I told you I’m the greatest.”
— Amanda Nunes
Before the match, Nunes had been announced as a +220 underdog to Cyborg due to her 15 consecutive wins. The UFC 232 co-main event saw the return of Jon Jones amidst a drug-testing controversy, but Nunes’ historic win against Cris Cyborg drew all the attention.
Nunes said: “My coach said, ‘When she gets desperate, throw the overhand. She’s gonna get knocked out.”
As predicted by her coach, Nunes defeated Cyborg with a perfectly-timed overhand right to the left ear.
“I’m going to keep doing it until the world is better.”
UFC President Dana White called Nunes the best female fighter of all time, saying after the fight: “Look at her resume, who she’s beat. She’s the best ever.”
Nunes was born and raised in Curitiba, Brazil, before moving to New Jersey. She is engaged to fellow UFC fighter Nina Ansaroff, who she credits as the best training partner ever.
Amanda Nunes and Nina Ansaroff attend the Women in Sports Awards Gala. (Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Women’s Sports Foundation)
Upon accepting the Equality Visibility Award in 2016, Nunes said: “I’m going to do everything I can to support this community with a positive presence by sharing my love and showing everyone that I’m happy.
“My dream has come true and I want to share this with everyone and help a lot of people be themselves. I’m going to keep doing it until the world is better.”
In 2016, Nunes took just 48 seconds to knockout Ronda Rousey. Having beaten both UFC legends in a mere 99 seconds combined, Nunes is a severe force to be reckoned with.
