Amanda Nunes 'double champion for ever' despite retirement following UFC 289 win

Brazilian, considered 'the greatest female fighter of all-time', announced end to career after dominant victory against Irene Aldana on Sunday morning

Amanda Nunes celebrates with her belts after announcing her retirement following her victory over Irene Aldana during UFC 289 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on June 10, 2023. AFP

Amanda Nunes says she will be “double champion for ever” after the Brazilian announced her retirement on Sunday following a dominant decision victory over Irene Aldana at UFC 289 to retain her bantamweight crown.

Nunes, who also holds the featherweight title, earned a one-sided win in the main event at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, taking the bout 50-44, 50-44, 50-43.

Immediately after the victory, Nunes took off her gloves to lay them on the octagon canvas between her two belts, marking the end of a career in which she became the first woman to hold two UFC titles simultaneously.

“Double champion for ever, baby!” Nunes shouted.

“My mom was asking me so much to do this for so long, she can’t take it any more,” Nunes, 35, said. “My partner as well, Nina, she’s been around so much with me my whole career, she’s pregnant now and we’ve been on this road for so long.

“I decided right now I’m still young enough to enjoy everything that I made. I’ve got to travel; I want to be with my family. I’ve got to spend more time with my family in Brazil as well.

Speaking on the mic to Daniel Cormier, another former two-division champion, Nunes explained her decision to call time on her soon-to-be Hall of Fame career.

“I left them so young to come here and chase the dream and everything – there was never a doubt in my mind I was going to become a champion. But when I became a champion, it was unbelievable. A double champ as well.”

Nunes, whose nickname is “The Lioness”, leaves the professional game with a record that reads 23-5 in MMA and 16-2 in the UFC. Her second loss was the shock defeat to Juliana Pena in December 2021, before Nunes exacted revenge last July to reclaim her bantamweight crown in the rematch.

Pena was supposed to take on Nunes in the trilogy, but withdrew with a rib injury, leaving Aldana to step in.

After comfortably dispatching the Mexican, Nunes told reporters she planned to remain involved in mixed martial arts and would like even to train a female champion.

“I did everything, I broke a lot of records,” Nunes said. “I’m going to have my belts at home with me. Who gets the belt now is going to be pretend [champion]. That’s going to be the fake one … it’s going to be fake for ever.

“Yeah, I’m gone. I’m good. I did everything, all taken care of in my life. Thanks UFC, they’ve always taken care of me. And they will always take care of me. So I’ll always be around here. Because I love this sport so much.

“I did everything to be the best. And I proved it tonight. I retire with my two belts, like I told you guys. I’m born to do this, I’m born to be in this world.

“I’m always going to be here. Maybe a coach, maybe in someone’s corner, I want to make a champion too. I want to be there to see another person succeed.”

UFC president Dana White, who later conceded doing away with the female featherweight division “made sense”, told the gathered media: “I’m not shocked that she retired. I’ve been saying for a while: she’s made a lot of money and her life was a lot different than it was 10 years ago.

“This must be what Amanda wants, so I’m definitely happy for her. Would I like to see her stick around and do some more? Absolutely. She’s been incredible to work with. She’s such a good human being and a great champion.

“Obviously, she’s the greatest female fighter of all time. I’d love to keep her around. But if she’s ready to go, you have to be happy for her.”