After Germaine de Randamie beat Aspen Ladd by knockout in just 16-seconds at UFC Sacramento, many believe she is next for the title shot against reigning bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. After all, de Randamie was ranked number-one heading into the fight and beat the then fourth-ranked fighter.
Yet, de Randamie isn’t certain if Nunes is next — especially if Nunes decides to defend her UFC featherweight title next.
“I don’t know, I really don’t know. Truthfully, I really don’t care. As far as I know, Amanda is going to defend her 145-pound belt first,” de Randamie said to BJPENN.com. “So, I completely respect that, and she will do what she wants. But, I’m not going to wait so if she goes up, I’ll take another fight. I’m not going to wait so I’m going to fight. If I don’t get that fight against Amanda, and the UFC wants me to do another fight then I’ll fight again.”
Given that Germaine de Randamie is the former UFC featherweight champion, some fans have said it would make sense for her to challenge Nunes for the featherweight title instead of the bantamweight title. But the Dutch fighter has zero interest in that, and only plans on fighting the two-division champ at bantamweight.
“I have absolutely no interest in fighting at 145. I’m a very light featherweight so when I came up into fight week I was like a pound over,” she said. “There is also like two or three girls in the entire division so it makes no sense. There are so many tough girls at 135 and there is still so much to accomplish at 135.”
Germaine de Randamie promises rematch against Amanda Nunes would be different
When de Randamie and Nunes fought back in 2013, Nunes won, but the Dutch fighter expects things to play out much differently in a rematch. She’s confident she is much better than before — though she knows Nunes is too.
“It would be a lot different. Nunes has gotten better, but I have gotten better, too,” de Randamie explained. “I’m not easy to take down anymore, and I’m a completely different fighter and person than I was back then. I do believe we have the best matchup right now.”
Yet, if that fight is not next, Germaine de Randamie is ready to fight again by the end of the year. Should UFC 243 end up in Australia, she has her eyes set on that card.
“I’m going on a nice vacation, but I’d love to fight by the end of the year. I have heard the UFC is going to New Zealand or Australia and I love to fight there,” she said.
As for who she would want to fight, well ‘Iron Lady’ only wants someone who will engage her in a good fight.
“Whoever they want to give me,” de Randamie said. “I just hope it is someone who comes to fight instead of lay and pray. I don’t like to fight the boring ones.”
Regardless, de Randamie is hoping the title shot is next but isn’t her holding her breath for it. And despite her being the former champion at featherweight, she has zero interest in fighting Nunes at 145.
Do you think Germaine de Randamie should be fighting Amanda Nunes for the title next?
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 7/19/2019.