2016/2019: “The Lioness” reaches the summit
“International Fight Week” will hold special memories for [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag], who produced two of her most memorable performances in showcase spots during the UFC’s annual July celebrations.
At UFC 200 in 2016, Nunes was drafted into the main event slot as she submited Miesha Tate to capture the UFC women’s bantamweight title.
Since that win, Nunes has gone on an incredible unbeaten run as she has defeated all challengers and added the featherweight title to her collection along the way.
“The Lioness” returned to “International Fight Week” duty last year, when she faced former bantamweight champion Holly Holm in a matchup that many felt represented Nunes’ toughest assignment as champion.
But the fight produced one of the most spectacular finishes of Nunes’ UFC career as she finished Holm with a spectacular head-kick knockout to retain her title. It saw Nunes turn the tables on Holm, who had used the same technique to capture the title from Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 four years earlier.
Nunes victory at UFC 200 proved to be a launchpad for a stellar career as she has since gone undefeated across two weight classes to become a simultaneous two-division UFC champion, and in many people’s eyes, the greatest female athlete in the history of the promotion.
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