Not many thought Amanda Nunes (13-4-0) deserved a title shot when she defeated Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 196. Sure she won, but looked lacakdaisial in the final round.
There were other more worthy contenders.
But credit Nunes for taking full advantage at UFC 200 last night. She overcame the early takedowns of Miesha Tate and hurt her early with the striking she is known for.
Brazil! You have another champion!!!!!! #UFC200 @Amanda_Leoa #AndNew pic.twitter.com/hlxMNzE5EN
— UFC (@ufc) July 10, 2016
Tate has never been taken out so brutally and quickly, but Nunes did it on the biggest stage of the year. The official time was 3:16 and now we have a new bantamweight champion.
She was classy in defeat acknowledging Nunes win and thanking her fans for supporting her. She couldn’t confirm, but said afterwards she thought her nose was broken, sitting with a towel over it to stop the bleeding.
“My plan for this fight was working my patience… I know the whole time I have everything to beat Miesha,” Nunes said at the post-fight press conference. “Take my time, wait for the best moment, I did it tonight.”
When asked who should be next in line to challenge for the belt, Nunes stated whoever the company deems to be the number-one contender.
“I’m the champion. Now, whatever Dana White put in front of me, I’m going to take it. I’m going to enjoy being a champion. I’m the champion. Back to the gym, getting ready for the next.”
Nunes heaped a lot of credit and praise on girlfriend Nina Ansaroff.
“Nina is the best training partner I ever have in my life,” she gushed. “This girl is going to be the next UFC champion, I’m telling you. Look at her, she’s shy. This girl has so many talents. She’s gonna back in the cage soon and show everybody she’s gonna be the next champion of UFC. This girl, she helped me, everything. She’s gonna cry. And I love her.”
Asked about the recent tragic events in Orlando, Nunes took the positive road. “Very sad,” she said. “I wish these things don’t happen anymore. Peace in the world is very important.
I don’t think USA is going to let this happen again. It’s going to stop.”
The Lioness made history as the first openly gay UFC champion, but she had her mind on other things. “It’s amazing,” she acknowledged. The more important thing is I’m happy with my life. That’s the important thing.”
Now, we have three former champions in the division and a new hot contender: Julianna Pena, who scored a convincing unanimous decision win over Cat Zingano last night.
Pena made sure to stake her claim. “I’m 7-0 and I don’t know what else I have to do. I just beat the girl who beat both the champion and the champion’s opponent. She beat both of these girls, and so with all due respect to Amanda, I’m very happy for you. Congratulations on your big night. And with all due respect to Miesha – thank God I don’t have to fight my friend – but it couldn’t have worked out better for me in this situation.
Good fight @VenezuelanVixen well played. Until we meet again…@ufc https://t.co/H68LKSdFqb
— Alpha Cat Zingano (@CatZingano) July 10, 2016
“I’m ready to fight for the title. I’m ready to go and get what’s mine. I have a champion’s mindset already. I eat, breathe, sleep, wake up… it’s constantly on the brain. All I’m missing is that championship belt around my waist.”
It’s hard to disagree with the Venezuelan Vixen. Let Zingano and Tate battle again with Holm getting the winner of Pena vs Nunes.
Tatiana Suarez won TUF 23 Friday night, defeating a game Amanda Bobby Cooper in the final by submission.
She was the favourite from the opening day and she proved she was worthy.
https://twitter.com/jnsanchez/status/751630705063583744
Congrats to all of the competitors. TUF 23 was a solid season and we should be seeing most if not all of the strawweights at some point in the UFC.
Props to @TSPMMA115 for an amazing fight last night. I wish you the best in the future. #TUF23 #TeamClaudia
— Amanda Bobby Brundage (@ABCnation115) July 10, 2016
A UFC women’s flyweight division is coming. Book it.
And Joanna Jedrzejczyk, whose team was beaten from pillar to the post on TUF 23, dug deep and overcame Claudia Gadelha to defend her belt at the TUF 23 Finale. It was a battle in every sense of the word and early on it looked like Claudia was going to take it.
She took Joanna down, but was not able to inflict a lot of damage. Then she kind of lost her mojo. Joanna took over the championship rounds with her vaunted Muay Thai to make Poland proud. Say what you will of Jedrzejczyk – TUF 23 did not make her look all that good as a coach or as a personality – but she proved again no can deny her skills and fire.
Hard luck to Claudia. It’s back to the drawing board for her, but she’ll be back. She will have to climb over some of her TUF 23 team members to do it though.
KNEE!
Photo by: @courtneyhendo_ #WMMA #MuayThai #FroHawk #MMA #InvictaFC pic.twitter.com/kwLTkPzJxi— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) June 30, 2016
The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) World Championship finals go down today.
In the women’s bantamweight finals, Cornelia Holm of Sweden takes on Norway’s Camilla Mannes. Germany’s Julia Dormy takes on Northern Ireland’s Leah McCourt in the featherweight final.
Gabriella Ringblom of Sweden and Finland’s Anette Osterberg are scheduled to compete shortly in the flyweight final.
UPDATE:
Ringblom defeated Osterberg in the flyweight final.
Swedish Gold medalist Gabriella Ringblom takes to the podium alongside Anette Österberg (FIN) and Jess Bradley (NZ) pic.twitter.com/14qQQCiZOt
— IMMAF (@IMMAFed) July 10, 2016
Holm defeated Mannes in the bantamweight final.
OFFICIAL: Women's Bantamweight Final – Cornelia Holm (SWE) def. Camilla Mannes (NOR) via Decision (Unanimous) #2016IMMAFWorlds
— IMMAF (@IMMAFed) July 10, 2016
Leah McCourt defeated Julia Dornyvia TKO in the featherweight final.
OFFICIAL: Women's Featherweight Final – Leah McCourt (NIR) def. Julia Dorny (DEU) via TKO (Round 1 – 1:54) #2016IMMAFWorlds
— IMMAF (@IMMAFed) July 10, 2016
Earlier, Bulgaria’s Aleksandra Toncheva defeated Poland’s Aleksandra Rola for the women’s strawweight gold medal.
Aleksandra Toncheva earns Gold for Bulgaria in the Women's Strawweight division #2016IMMAFWorlds #HistoryAgain pic.twitter.com/0OZzcbvsoe
— IMMAF (@IMMAFed) July 10, 2016
OFFICIAL: Women's Strawweight – Aleksandra Toncheva (BGR) def. Aleksandra Rola (POL) via Submission (Round 1 – 2:18) #2016IMMAFWorlds
— IMMAF (@IMMAFed) July 10, 2016
Sweden’s Gabriella Ringblom defeated Finland’s Anette Osterberg via unanimous decision for the flyweight gold medal.
Swedish Gold medalist Gabriella Ringblom takes to the podium alongside Anette Österberg (FIN) and Jess Bradley (NZ) pic.twitter.com/14qQQCiZOt
— IMMAF (@IMMAFed) July 10, 2016
OFFICIAL: Women's Bantamweight Final – Cornelia Holm (SWE) def. Camilla Mannes (NOR) via Decision (Unanimous) #2016IMMAFWorlds
— IMMAF (@IMMAFed) July 10, 2016
Check back here as I will update this report with today’s results. Best of luck to all competitors!
Cris Cyborg’s GetDown Fights 22 California State Championships event went down July 2nd at the Yost Theater in Santa Ana, California. Brooke Mayo became the state’s first female bantamweight champion with a third round TKO win over Mayra Mello Mazza. Jasmine Pouncy secured the flyweight belt with a unanimous decision win over Adelita McGrath.
Mayo knocked down Mazza with a strike, jumped onto her with full mount, then used ground-and-pound to get the stoppage at 2:32.
Give Cyborg full marks for putting this platform together to help female fighters earn a living. She did it.
Thanks goodness for pay-it-forward champions like Cristiane Cyborg Justiano.
Follow:
Maiara Amanajas – @MaiaraAmanajas
Katlyn Chookagian – @BlondeFighter
See you next week!
