Amanda Nunes teases UFC comeback after Pennington-Beuno Silva snoozer — ‘I still feel like a champion’

Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes, who also held gold at 145 pounds, believes she made the right decision by retiring from combat sports. That said, “Lioness” isn’t ruling out a return to the Octagon after watching Raquel Pennington capture the vacant crown by outpointing Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297 in Toronto.

Nunes (23-5) stopped Pennington in their UFC 224 title fight back in early 2018.

“I was nervous. I don’t know why, but I was very nervous,” Nunes told ESPN. “It was mixed feelings. I was happy and sad, but when I saw ‘Rocky’ with the belt, I was okay. I wasn’t upset or anything like that. We’ll see what happens. I’m still young and fresh. You never know, I’m a fighter. This is my job and I love this so much, so I don’t know. I enjoy this, as well, not being in the gym every day and having a normal life and staying a little bit lazy because to be lazy as a fighter is very hard. But you know, I’m still healthy, powerful, smart. I think like a champion. I still feel like a champion, so we’ll see.”

Nunes, 35, hung up the gloves after knocking around Irene Aldana at UFC 289.

Pennington, 35, is expected to make her first bantamweight title defense against former 135-pound champion Julianna Pena at some point later this year. A victory for the “Venezuelan Vixen” could set up a potential trilogy with Nunes, who split a pair of fights with The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 18 champ at UFC 269 (L) and UFC 277 (W).

For more results and fallout from UFC 297 click here.