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Dual champ Amanda Nunes: ‘My journey just beginning’ with Holly Holm fight at UFC 239

LAS VEGAS – UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes is an anomaly among all other females in MMA.

Sitting atop the pecking order in two divisions, Nunes has already accomplished a feat no other woman has been able to, by holding two UFC titles simultaneously. At UFC 239 on Saturday, Nunes has the opportunity to add another achievement to her resume.

If Nunes (17-4 MMA, 10-1 UFC) defeats Holly Holm (12-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC) in the co-main event matchup, she will have defeated all former women’s bantamweight champions in UFC history.

At UFC 239 media day on Thursday, Nunes told MMA Junkie why she feels it’s important to continue building her legacy even though she’s already achieved great heights.

“It means a lot,” Nunes said. “Keep making history. Keep defending my belt. It’s very important to keep this legacy alive. I’m like in the top of my career. And I want to keep myself here to feel those moments (and) feel everything that I’ve been feeling right now. Go through all of those moments. It’s pretty awesome and keeps me motivated to be doing it. It’s a big thing.”

In 2017, Nunes defeated now-UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko – a fighter similar to Holm in certain aspects. Like Shevchenko, Holm is also a kick-heavy striker. Saturday night, Nunes said, she’ll utilize plenty of knowledge acquired from the Shevchenko fight.

“Definitely my fight against Valentina was a tougher fight (and is) helping me fight against Holly,” Nunes said. “I really like putting a guy and Nina (against me). She kicks very well. She knows all those kicks. The guy who’ve been helping me, he really is a natural south paw. (He’s) able to do how she’s going to do and get me ready for that one.”

While Nunes has drilled countless hours in the gym to mold her craft, the 31-year-old Brazilian believes above all else, her positive attitude and supportiveness of others is what elevates her to a whole different level.

“I feel like I deserve all (the) respect,” Nunes said. “Because I work harder for those moments. I feel like one human supposed to be happy with other human’s successes. If you be able to do that with yourself, it’s going to come back to you. I’m that kind of person. I’m happy for other people’s success. I feel like that’s why I will keep doing and keeping being in this position that I am right now.”

Despite already having defeated many of the all-time greats, Nunes said she believes there is still a lot of work to be done both inside and outside of the cage.

“I think there is good things coming after this for sure,” Nunes said. “I respect my opponent a lot, but this is my time. My moment. It was so busy these past years, I (wasn’t) able to do a lot of things. But I feel like these next years are going to be huge. That I’ll be able to have more (freedom) to do more things. And then if I’m able to help more people, I will do and I’m going to be very happy. I feel like my journey just began.”

UFC 239 takes place Saturday, July 6 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with a main card streaming on pay-per-view and prelims airing on ESPN and ESPN+.

For more on UFC 239, check out the UFC schedule.

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