Nunes Wants to Become Two-Division Champ

Women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes had a breakout year in 2016, steamrolling two legends of the sport and cementing herself as the best fighter in the 135-lb division. The Brazilian champion wants to make history in 2017, as she called for a fight with the winner of next month’s inaugural featherweight title and a chance to become a two-division champion.

At UFC 208 in Brooklyn, former bantamweight champion Holly Holm will fight Germaine de Randamie for the featherweight belt in the first women’s 145-lb fight in the UFC.

Nunes will be watching that fight closely, and called for the opportunity to follow Conor McGregor’s lead and win belts in two weight classes.

After Conor McGregor won the lightweight belt in November and became the first ever simultaneous two-division champion, many other fighters have been calling for the opportunity to fight for two belts. After winning the bantamweight title in December, Cody Garbrandt expressed his desire to take on featherweight champion Jose Aldo.

Aldo himself has lobbied for the chance to hold two titles, but that has stemmed more from his desire to rematch McGregor following his 2015 knockout defeat. Aldo was promoted to undisputed featherweight champion again after McGregor was stripped of the featherweight title in December.

Nunes has won five fights in a row, and her last two came on two of the biggest events in UFC history. In the headliner of UFC 200 in July, Nunes demolished then-champion Miesha Tate in the first round to capture the title. Her domination of Ronda Rousey at UFC 207 in December was even faster and more convincing, and under an even brighter spotlight.

One of the hardest hitters in women’s MMA, Nunes likes her chances against either Holm or de Randamie at either weight class. With Rousey’s future in the balance and Cris Cyborg in hot water with USADA, Nunes may get her wish as the UFC will look to build big fights in the women’s divisions.