Amanda Nunes open to trilogy fight with Germaine de Randamie
UFC women’s featherweight and bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes says she is open to a trilogy fight with Germaine de Randamie.
Nunes and de Randamie have already fought twice, with Nunes besting GDR via first-round TKO at UFC Fight for the Troops 3 in 2013, and then vanquishing her once again in the rematch at UFC 245 in 2019 via unanimous decision. You would think there would be other challenges out there for Nunes to conquer at 135lbs, but looking at the rankings reveals that GDR is still the No. 1 contender in the division. Following her first-career submission win over Julianna Pena her last time out, GDR wants another shot at fighting Nunes, and now the champion says she is open to the trilogy, too.
In response to de Randamie saying that she “exposed” Nunes when the two fought at UFC 245, Nunes took the high road. Speaking to MMAMania.com, Nunes credited GDR as being the best striker at 135lbs but said she would beat her once again if the trilogy is what the UFC wants next following her featherweight title defense against Megan Anderson at UFC 259 this Saturday night.
“I don’t think she exposed me. I believe she has the best striking in the division, and I feel like I exposed her more by showing that I can handle her striking and am still able to use my wrestling and ground to neutralize her. If the UFC feels that’s next, then that is what it will be,” Nunes said.
Generally, the UFC doesn’t book trilogy fights when one fighter has won the first two bouts, but there are exceptions to that rule. For example, Max Holloway will likely get a third fight with Alexander Volkanovski later this year despite losing the first two fights. Looking at the women’s divisions, Alexis Davis fought Sarah Kauman for a third time in the Octagon after losing twice previously to her in other promotions, yet she won the third fight in the UFC. So just because the first two fights don’t go one fighters’ way doesn’t mean the trilogy can’t be different. With GDR showing a new wrinkle to her game by submitting Pena, perhaps she will offer more of a challenge for Nunes the third time around.
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