Amanda Nunes seems to know the right way to financially take advantage of her time as champion — wait for Ronda Rousey.
The UFC women’s bantamweight belt holder told Brazilian website Combate that her first title defense fight has to be against the former champion.
“If they ask me who I want to fight, I’m going to say I want to fight Ronda,” Nunes told Combate. “I’m not running from anyone, I’m the champion and I can choose who I’m going to fight. I will choose what’s best for me, and Ronda would be ‘the’ main fight.”
Rousey has yet to make an announcement on when she will return to the octagon, but her comeback arguably is the most-anticipated event for UFC fans. And it appears Nunes knows a fight against Rousey would be a cash-cow.
Also, it’s important to note that the bantamweight title has changed hands three times over the last year. If Nunes takes on a fight against a lesser-known contender like Julianna Pena or Valentina Shevchenko and loses, she might not have the same financial opportunities down the road.
Nunes is expected to fight at UFC 207, nearly six months after she won the bantamweight belt at UFC 200.
Miesha Tate, who only waited four months to defend her belt, was critical of Nunes’ dormancy on The MMA Hour, but understood the financial gains associated with a showdown with Rousey.
“I think, my personal opinion, as the champion you don’t wait for people, you step up when you should,” Tate said. “But it’s her choice, it’s her life, and she’s probably being advised to wait. And I can’t blame the girl. It’s going to be a big fight. Financially, career-wise, it probably makes sense from a political side to wait.”
And it appears that’s exactly what Nunes is trying to do.
Thumbnail photo via Jason Silva/USA TODAY Sports Images
