While [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] sets out to make history, [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] is looking to play spoiler.
Dual-champ Nunes could become the first fighter in UFC history to register title defenses across two weight classes while holding multiple belts when she puts her featherweight title on the line against Spencer at UFC 250.
Nunes (19-4 MMA, 12-1 UFC) already has successfully defended her bantamweight title five times. Most recently, she beat Germaine de Randamie at UFC 245. But she has yet to defend her 145-pound title since capturing it with a first-round knockout over Cris Cyborg in December 2018.
Spencer (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) emerged as a No. 1 contender at UFC on ESPN+ 27 in Norfolk, Va., in February when she took out Zarah Fairn in the first round. Megan Anderson also picked up a first-round finish on the same card. But since Spencer already holds a win over Anderson, the title shot went to her.
Since most UFC dual-champs so far have relinquished one of their belts, Spencer admitted she’s appreciative that Nunes has kept her word.
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“I was pretty confident that she would,” Spencer told MMA Junkie. “I think pretty early on, she’s been saying that she wanted to defend both belts. I mean, it’s not really ever a concern. I know that my division is so young in the UFC and kind of still a little bit uncertain that I don’t put all of my eggs into one basket. So I don’t expect too much. But it’s really nice that she’s going to be the first to attempt to defend her belt in two divisions, and hopefully I’ll spoil the plans of having a successful defense of the belt, unfortunately.”
It’s going to be a tall order for Spencer against Nunes, who hasn’t lost in more than five years. And while she’s run through most opponents, Nunes showed a bit of vulnerability in her most recent outing against de Randamie. She was tagged on numerous occasions on the feet, but used her wrestling to stifle de Randamie’s offense.
Spencer said she will look to take advantage of those moments.
“There’s some openings that are left where Amanda’s been able to capitalize on it, and I just have to make sure that I don’t have any openings, unnecessary openings,” she said. “There’s definitely some things to pay attention to with (Nunes’) last fight. But I know it’s not always a reflection of how the future fights can go, or a full reflection of her skill set. But I think there’s some places that I can excel in the clinch or on the ground. So yeah – I’m excited to start breaking it down, though.”
Spencer had a taste of what it’s like to face a champion when she took on former UFC featherweight champ and current Bellator 145-pound champ Cris Cyborg at UFC 240. Although she suffered her first pro loss in that fight, it was a valuable experience for Spencer, who was able to cut Cyborg badly with a lunging elbow and hang tough for 15 minutes.
She was able to gauge what it’s like to compete against top-level competition.
“I feel like just the preparation (was important), being confident that my mindset will be fine,” Spencer said. “I take away a lot of great things from the experience in the loss, from leading up to the fight and through the 15 minutes. (It was) definitely something I can draw from.”
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