UFC Has MMA’s New Superstar To Promote: Amanda Nunes

By CASSANDRA COUSINEAU

LVSportsBiz.com

 

Amanda Nunes was a +250 underdog in Las Vegas in her quest to defeat the once unbeatable Cris “Cyborg” Justino. Then, in less than a round at UFC 232 at the Forum in Los Angeles — 51 seconds to be exact —  the bantamweight champ known as “The Lioness” shocked the world.

 

With precision, power, and accuracy, Nunes flustered featherweight Cyborg with a lightning-quick mix of jabs and a magnificent looping overhand right that earned her the stoppage in the championship co-main event match. She joins Daniel Cormier and Conor McGregor as the only UFC fighters to hold championship belts in two divisions, and the only woman to ever do it at the same time.

 

Without question, the win cements Nunes as the greatest female fighter in MMA history, greater than Cyborg and former UFC darling Ronda Rousey.  She ‘s an elite fighter who should now have all of the cache and marketing power UFC affords all other champions in its Las Vegas-based organization. Given her resume, Nunes deserves even more.

 

The Action Network’s sports business reporter, Darren Rovell, doesn’t see it that way.  “Between Rousey and Cyborg, Amanda Nunes has singlehandedly killed the most valuable women in the sport. Brutally damaging to UFC. Nunes isn’t in the same marketing  ballpark as either of those two.”

 

UFC President/ringmaster Dana White immediately took issue with the former ESPN reporter’s assertion, blasting him during the post-fight press conference. He went as far to say Nunes will be a ‘star’. “I ‘expletive’ guarantee it.”

 

But sadly, the Brazilian hasn’t always felt the love from her promoters. Last year, she went on record saying, “I don’t really fit the profile of a UFC champion, but they have to do business with me, even through they’re never going to promote me to the level like they did Ronda or Holly Holm.  They want blondies, cute little girls who fight and take pictures. Let’s face it. I have to face the girls who sell the best.”

 

No, Nunes isn’t a cookie cutter champion. She’s fascinating though, and checks all of the boxes for marketing gold —  two straps, brash, confident, and a role model should work.

 

Nunes is also from a country of 219 million, and became Brazil’s first female UFC champion. Engaged to UFC Strawweight Nina Ansaroff, Nunes is UFC’s first openly LGBTQ champion.

 

For all of her confidence, she’s still a small town girl, who began her training as a boxer at the age of 16. Nunes can and will be selling a ton of tickets as a main event draw.

 

For her part, Cyborg was all class in defeat. She left this message for her fans on Twitter:

 

“Today was not our day, but I want you to know that I am very grateful for your affection! Life is like that one day we lose and one day we win! Belt for me has always been symbolic, the most important is to be a champion in the lives of people making a difference in this world!”

 

Joe Rogan, UFC’s veteran MMA commentator, has a policy of not interviewing fighters in the ring after a KO. This makes sense in most cases especially after what would be an embarrassing talk with Daniel Cormier after a second loss to Jon Jones in UFC 214.

 

Still, Cyborg was rightfully upset with being ushered out of the cage by “someone from the UFC” according to her post-fight interview.  She wasn’t rendered unconscious and should’ve been given the mic, and respected as a true champion.

 

When you consider the dominant run Cyborg has been on having not lost since her MMA debut in 2005, the win by Nunes is even more impressive. The now former UFC World Featherweight champ had won 20 consecutive fights, 17 by KO, and earned 10- first round finishes going into Saturday’s co-main event.

 

With the :51 first-round KO, Nunes owns three of the top six shortest finishes ever in women’s MMA history. Combined, she’s taken out Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey ( :48 KO) and Cyborg in less than two minutes.

 

It’s hard to argue that she isn’t the best ever. Really hard. White, who has notoriously under promoted the new double champ, underscored the point:  She’s the best ever, he said. “How can you deny it? That’s what this fight was for. If you look at her resume, who she’s beat, she’s the best ever. You can’t debate that.”

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Nunes is due the spotlight. She’s right in the middle of her physical prime and has demolished the two previous superstars of the sport.  Crown her.