UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Amanda Nunes caught wind of Valentina Shevchenko’s comments following UFC 277.
Nunes took back the 135-pound gold in her rematch with Julianna Pena inside the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX on July 30. Pena shocked the world back in late 2021 by submitting Nunes to capture the gold.
“The Lioness” returned to form at UFC 277, beating a tough Pena from pillar to post throughout five rounds. Nunes won the rematch via unanimous decision.
After the title fight, Valentina Shevchenko took to her Twitter account to accuse Nunes of stealing her standup moves.
https://twitter.com/BulletValentina/status/1553602162575523840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1553602162575523840%7Ctwgr%5E878321f7dfc59d5ba89239436c47df377b3331ac%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mmafighting.com%2F2022%2F7%2F31%2F23285720%2Famanda-nunes-responds-to-valentina-shevchenko-after-ufc-277-she-lost-her-last-fight
During the UFC 277 post-fight press conference, Amanda Nunes responded. She expressed her belief that Shevchenko would’ve lost her last women’s flyweight title defense against Taila Santos if it wasn’t for an accidental headbutt (h/t MMAFighting).
“That’s funny,” Nunes said in her post-fight media scrum. “She has to put out there something to stand out, because right now, as a champion, Valentina, she lost her last fight. I really think if Taila doesn’t get that headbutt, that fight could have been way different.”
UFC President Dana White has been opposed to a trilogy bout between Nunes and Shevchenko in the past. When asked about it post-UFC 277, he changed his tune.
“That’s not a bad idea,” White said at his post-fight scrum. “Normally I would say, ‘Come on, man.’ That’s not a bad idea really, when you think about it. I’m not saying yes, I’m just saying it’s not a bad idea.”
Nunes was also asked about the potential trilogy fight and she also seems to be more open to the idea now.
“Good. She’s a champion too,” Nunes said of the possibility. “That would be awesome.”