UFC 207 is just around the corner. Amanda Nunes will defend the women’s bantamweight title against Ronda Rousey for the very first time. Nunes climbed up the ladder to become the number one contender for the title fight. She choked out Miesha Tate at UFC 200 to win the women’s bantamweight title. Now after winning against Tate, she has to fight Ronda Rousey, who has been the face of the women’s bantamweight division for a very long time.

Nunes is all set to fight the former bantamweight champion, but the real question is how well prepared is she?

Amanda Nunes: I trained for Ronda Rousey

Amanda Nunes has admitted to studying Ronda Rousey’s fighting technique for a very long time. She has been waiting for the chance to fight Rousey from the very beginning. She stated that she has been training for a showdown with Ronda Rousey since her arrival in 2013. In an interview with the MMA mania, she said, “I am very confident and I know I am going to take this fight. Ever since I got into the UFC, I always thought about that fight. Even if I have another opponent, after I finished that fight, I trained for Ronda Rousey”. She also said in an interview with Fox Sports that she would finish Rousey inside the first round.

Despite having a 6-1 record in the UFC, Nunes appears confident in taking on Ronda Rousey (12-1 UFC). Clearly, the stats are in favour of the former champion but Nunes would cherish the opportunity to hand Rousey her second defeat.

Nunes vs Rousey: who has the upper Hand?

Amanda Nunes is on a winning streak right now. She has won four in a row including her win over Miesha Tate at UFC 200. She dethroned Miesha to win her first-ever title. Ronda Rousey has been away from the cage for over a year, so the momentum will be with Nunes. Nunes’ back-to-back wins against Shayna Baszler, Sara McMann, Valentina Shevchenko, and Miesha Tate would give her a big boost of confidence to face Ronda.

Ronda does not have the same flow right now. It is also possible that since Rousey has had plenty of time off, she would be refreshed and ready to reclaim the title.

Both fighters come out storming as soon as the round starts. They have the same level of fierceness and it can be said that they’ll taste their own medicine in the octagon. Grappling or wrestling is no problem for both fighters. Ronda Rousey is a 4th degree black belt in Judo. On the other hand, Amanda Nunes is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Nunes might not feel nervous about her Judo skills. But, she should definitely not take Ronda’s skills lightly, as she’s known for her submission manoeuvres. It would be interesting to see how they cope with the same pressure that they generally exert on their opponents.

Who will feel the pressure?

Ronda Rousey has an edge when it comes to big matches. She has defeated well-grounded fighters. She successfully defended her bantamweight title against Cat Zingano, Alexis Davis and Sara McMann. These three fighters have wins over Nunes and they’ve faced Rousey as well. The difference is that Ronda has beaten all of them. Rousey is totally comfortable in the spotlight.

Nunes, however, is stepping into the biggest fight of her career, where she’ll defend her title. It will be an entirely new experience for her. She might not be used to such big fights. A fight against Ronda, who has been the face of the women’s bantamweight division for such a long time, would certainly shake the best of fighters.

Who’s more motivated?

Amanda Nunes admitted that the fight against Rousey is her dream fight. She’s been preparing for years and is more than eager to defend her title at UFC 207. But, would that be enough? Ronda Rousey looks motivated for redemption. She wants her title back. Also, Ronda might have a bigger picture in mind, which is to get a rematch against Holly Holm. This will only be possible if she wins at UFC 207. Hence, Nunes should keep in mind that Ronda might have gone the extra mile to fully prepare herself for the upcoming bouts. Since UFC 207 is such an important fight for Rousey, only a fool would underestimate the former champion.

It is difficult to say who’ll win at UFC 207. Both fighters pack a punch and they’re on top of their game. Amanda Nunes has got the fight she always wanted, and Ronda Rousey is all set to redeem herself. To predict an outcome would be a futile exercise. The judges, however, might not have to do much on December 30. Rousey has never gone to a decision during her professional career while Nunes has gone to the judges table only once during her seven fight career with the UFC. This will certainly be one of the most epic match-ups. Only time will tell who’ll come on top.

Photo: Getty

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