Amanda Nunes on why she wants to fight for a second belt: Conor McGregor did it

Earlier this month, UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes made headlines by calling for a shot at the winner of Holly Holm and Germaine De Randamie’s inaugural women’s featherweight title fight, which is scheduled for the main event of UFC 208 on February 11. The champ made this call on Twitter.

I'm ready to make wmma history…. I want the winner. @danawhite @ufc @seanshelby vamos Fazer historia no mundo quero lutar com quem ganhar. pic.twitter.com/VQXyp4SCaO

— Amanda Nunes (@Amanda_Leoa) January 15, 2017

Not long thereafter, Nunes took a trip to Phoenix, Arizona, to corner her training partner and girlfriend Nina Ansaroff against Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger. In the wake of Ansaroff’s defeat of Jones-Lybarger, Nunes spoke with MMAJunkie, and explained the reasons for her desire for a shot at a second title. According to the champ, it’s pretty simple. Conor McGregor got the opportunity to fight for gold in  second division, and she’d like the same chance.

“Conor McGregor did it,” said Nunes, “Why can’t I” 

“I feel like I want more challenges for my career,” she continued. “I know I can be a champion at 145 [pounds] too. That’s why I pushed [the idea] on my Twitter and everywhere, and I hope [UFC President] Dana White can give me the opportunity. I will show him the real champion.”

“I defended [the belt] already, [against Ronda Rousey], the most dominant athlete on the planet,” she said. “Forty-eight seconds? I think deserve it if I ask for it for the next fight.

“I think the fans want to see it – a female fighter go to another weight class and take the two belts.”

Nunes went on to offer a bit of insight as to how she thinks Holm and De Randamie’s upcoming title fight will go.

“I think Holly has enough trips, jiu jitsu to take this fight to the ground, and then maybe win with ground-and-pound, things like that. But I don’t think she has a chance in the standup with [De Randamie]. But MMA is like, crazy. Anything can happen. This fight can go either way.” 

Do you think Amanda Nunes deserves a shot at the Holm-De Randamie winner? Sound off, PENN Nation!

This story first appeared one BJPenn.com on [1/16/2017].