Back at UFC 232 in December, Amanda Nunes shocked the world.
Nunes was the reigning bantamweight champion and was moving up to featherweight to take on long-time champion Cris Cyborg. In this new division, Nunes knocked Cyborg out in just 51 seconds and became the first woman in UFC history to hold titles in two divisions simultaneously.
Now, however, it’s hard to say what is next for Nunes. There is the possibility that she goes back down to bantamweight and defends her title against a contender such as Holly Holm. Or, she could rematch Cyborg.
American Top Team owner Dan Lambert would like to see Nunes defend both titles, starting with her bantamweight belt.
“Man, she’s come a long way, there is no doubt about that. I think the plan for Amanda is to go back to 135,” Lambert said recently on BJPENN Radio. “That division’s been sitting dormant for a while. Defend that title. I’d like to see her defend both belts. Few people become Champ-Champs, nobody’s defended both belts at the same time. So, I’d like to see her go to down to ’35. She put a picture on social media trying to get in her skinny jeans and struggle a little bit and say, ”m going back to 35 for the next fight.’
“So, hopefully, she goes back at ’35, defends that successfully and then maybe a rematch with Cyborg,” he added. “If that’s what’s in the cards and if not maybe she defends it against somebody else, I don’t know. But I’d certainly like to see her defend both belts. Yeah that’d be a great thing for her. It’d be great for the team. I think it’d be good for this sport to see somebody do it.”
For now, Nunes is training, awaiting her next fight, but if Lambert has any say, it will be a bantamweight title defense and then a rematch with Cyborg.
Who do you think Amanda Nunes should fight next?
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 3/22/2019.