UFC Fight Night 31's Amanda Nunes wants Liz Carmouche-Alexis Davis winner

If victorious Wednesday night at UFC Fight Night 31, Amanda Nunes surely wouldn’t turn down an offer to fight for a title. However, she knows it’s unlikely, so she hopes Plan B comes to fruition.

Nunes (8-3 MMA, 1-0) meets Germaine de Randamie (4-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) in the opening bout of UFC Fight Night 31's FOX Sports 1 broadcast, which airs live from Fort Campbell in Kentucky (5 p.m. ET).

Both fighters recently won their promotional debuts, and in the women’s bantamweight division, contenders are never more than a few wins away from a title shot. That’s also true for UFC Fight Night 31 co-headliners Liz Carmouche (9-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and Alexis Davis (14-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC).

Nunes, the first Brazilian female fighter signed to the UFC, previously competed for Strikeforce and Invicta. And the 25-year-old, who now fights out of Miami, has racked up wins over notables such as Vanessa Porto, Julia Budd and, in her UFC debut, Sheila Gaff. If she gets by de Randamie, she thinks her next opponent could come from the same card.

“I would be very happy if I could fight for the belt after this fight,” Nunes told MMAjunkie.com. “But I believe if I pick up another victory after this one, then I’ll have a much greater chance to fight for the belt. I think after only this fight, it’s too soon. I need two more victories.”

The timing works, too. Champ Ronda Rousey meets Miesha Tate next month in UFC 168's co-headliner, and contenders such as Cat Zingano (who was already promised a title shot) are likely higher in the pecking order than Nunes. That’s why Nunes thinks Wednesday’s could set up a fight between the Carmouche-Davis winner. For Nunes, that means a potential chance to avenge a 2011 TKO loss to Davis.

“Without a doubt, if Alexis Davis beats Liz Carmouche, I would love a chance to face Alexis one more time,” Nunes said. “But if Alexis loses, then I want someone higher up on the ranking to bring me closer to the belt.

“But I’m not rooting for anyone. I just want to win my bout and face the winner of Alexis and Liz.”

Hoping to build off the momentum of her UFC-debut win, where she scored a first-round TKO of Gaff in front of a Brazilian crowd, Nunes has studied opponent de Randamie diligently. The two fighters are among the UFC’s tallest in the women’s bantamweight division, and with her opponent’s kickboxing background, Nunes knows there’s danger. But she insists she’s ready for it.

“I’m not sure how much taller she actually is, but we’ve been putting together a strategy by studying her game,” she said. “I’m ready for all three rounds, but if she gives me any opportunity, I’m finishing the fight, whether standing or on the ground. At any moment I can finish the fight.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 31, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.