Back in July of 2016, in the last-minute main event of UFC 200, Brazilian talent Amanda Nunes swiped the women’s bantamweight title from Miesha Tate with a dominant, first-round submission win. Later in the year, in the main event of December’s UFC 207, Nunes defended that title with an even more dominant win, brutalizing returning former champion Ronda Rousey in just 48 seconds.
Speaking to FloCombat.com in the weeks after her win, Nunes said that she didn’t think anything could stop her from defeating Rousey at UFC 207 – she was simply too focused.
“I was so focused and nothing could’ve stopped me from doing what I wanted to do and it was awesome,” she said.
She then went on to compare the buildup to UFC 207 to that of UFC 200, which saw her and Tate promoted to main event status just days out from fight night.
“UFC 200 was big for me too,” she said. “It was huge. For me it was like crazy and everything changed the week of the fight. I was suddenly the main event and I had to be ready.
“This one [UFC 207], I knew the whole-time I was going to be the main event so I was mentally stronger you know. Honestly my camp for Miesha Tate was harder than it was for Ronda.”
After suggesting that her preparations for Tate were harder than her preparations for Rousey, Nunes went one step further, saying that Tate is an all around better fighter than Rousey. This, of course, is in slight contradiction of Rousey’s two submission defeats of Tate.
“Miesha Tate is a better fighter – way better than Ronda Rousey,” Nunes said. “The thing is she can’t beat Ronda Rousey, but Miesha Tate is a really tough opponent. She has great wrestling and ground game, she can strike you too. The camp was more hard, but Ronda Rousey, I know how to beat Ronda Rousey and I took time off during my camp.”
Do you think Miesha Tate can be considered a better fighter than Ronda Rousey, in spite of her two losses to her? Sound off in the comments section, PENN Nation!