Women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes was born in Brazil in 1988. She’ll celebrate her 29th birthday on May 30. She began her journey in martial arts, starting by taking Karate classes, when she was four. She started training boxing and eventually Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
She relocated to the United States five years ago with 20 dollars to her name, an unrelenting determination, and a dream.
“Four years ago I was living in the gym. I didn’t have any money. I got to this country with 20 bucks in my pocket,” she said during a recent media luncheon in California.
Nunes captured the women’s 135-pound title by tapping out Miesha Tate at UFC 200 in July 2016. She defended her belt at UFC 207 by knocking out former champion Ronda Rousey.
“Since I’ve got this belt, my life is special. A lot of good things happened,” she said. “Today, I have my house and my new car, and I can help my family as well.”
Nunes’ journey personifies the American Dream. She’s a proud Brazilian, but there is no other place she’d rather be than in the U.S.
“I love it here. This country is the best country in the world. I love being here,” she said.
Nunes puts her title on the line for the second time in a rematch against Valentina Shevchenko in the UFC 213 co-main event in Las Vegas on July 8. Nunes defeated Shevchenko by unanimous decision in their first meeting at UFC 196.
