Dana White believes Amanda Nunes is “not that hungry savage she was” before she became champion: “Amanda is a multi-millionaire”

By Cole Shelton - June 14, 2022

Dana White doesn’t think Amanda Nunes has the same hunger she once did.

Amanda Nunes, UFC 256

Nunes lost her bantamweight title back at UFC 269 to Julianna Pena and although the two are set to rematch at UFC 277, White doesn’t think the Brazilian is the savage she once was.

“The question is, for Amanda – and this is what happens to all fighters – you know the big narrative we don’t pay anybody? Amanda’s rich,” White told ESPN (h/t MMAJunkie). “Amanda is a multi-millionaire who is now at a completely different financial status. She has a baby now. Her life – she is not that hungry savage she was when she started to take this run at becoming a world champion. A lot of that factors in.”

Meanwhile, White believes Pena is just getting those perks of being a UFC champion including getting paid more so she won’t want to give up the belt so easily, especially to Nunes.

Julianna Pena, Amanda Nunes

Image Credit: @UFC/Instagram

“And now Julianna’s at a place where she beat her, Julianna’s starting to see a lot of the things that come along with being the world champion now – financially, popularity as you get out in the world,” White said. “That belt is the key that opens a lot of doors. So I’m sure she wants to get to that Amanda Nunes level, financially and everything else. All that stuff factors into the fight, and those are all questions I can’t answer.”

Although Dana White doesn’t think Amanda Nunes still has the fire she once had, he believes Julianna Pena may bring that back out of her. He knows she doesn’t like Pena and after coaching TUF against one another, White thinks this is the fight that Nunes could go back to being the young, hungry savage.

“I haven’t seen it, but I do know she does not like Julianna,” White said about Nunes. “She thinks Julianna has a big mouth and all that other stuff. For her, that would have to be her motivation is to beat Julianna because she doesn’t like her – because for all the other reasons, Amanda doesn’t need to win the fight.”

What do you make of Dana White saying Amanda Nunes is not the hungry, savage she once was?


Topics:

Amanda Nunes Dana White UFC