Amanda Nunes is getting a little fed up hearing about her third round performance against Valentina Shevchenko from last year.
Despite winning a unanimous decision in the fight, Nunes has been bombarded with questions and quotes about losing the third round after she seemingly ran out of steam, which allowed Shevchenko to nearly stage a comeback before the fight came to an end.
Ultimately, Nunes won a unanimous decision but she’s still getting questions about that third round, which she believes is being blown completely out of proportion when looking at her performance during the remainder of the fight.
“Nothing happened in the third [round], I beat her by unanimous decision,” Nunes said during the UFC 213 media conference call. “If you look back at the fight, I beat her. There’s nothing to talk about with that fight. I beat her and that’s it.
“This is the thing, our next fight, I will not leave this fight in the judges’ hands. I will make sure I finish her and to stop thinking about this third round. We’re already past that fight and I moved forward and after that fight, I become a champion and I defend [the belt] and I will keep doing that and my next step is finishing her. Make Valentina realize and understand that I’m the best and I’m here to stay.”
Nunes says that the biggest difference between the fight she had with Shevchenko and the rematch that’s about to unfold on Saturday night from Las Vegas comes down to preparation.
Throughout a big part of her career, Nunes was known for incredibly fast starts but then struggling as the minutes ticked away on the clock deep into the second or third rounds.
More recently, Nunes has changed her training to focus on fighting for 25-minutes so her conditioning is no longer an issue, which is why she’s so confident that time won’t be on Shevchenko’s side this time around.
“Oh the big difference now I train for five rounds. That fight was three rounds,” Nunes said.
“Now it’s five rounds, I’ve been training for five rounds and I will stop her. I’m going to make sure it doesn’t go in the judges’ hands this time.”
Despite her insistence that she’s ready for five rounds, Nunes doesn’t see anyway her rematch with Shevchenko doesn’t end before the final horn.
Since going to decision with Shevchenko last year, Nunes has torn through Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey with both fights being finished inside the first round. Nunes believes with the right opening, she can do the exact same thing to Shevchenko and put any questions to rest about this rivalry.
“I’m going to go to finish her,” Nunes said. “If the fight goes five rounds, I will be ready anyways but every mistake that she shows me, I will capitalize and then finish this fight as fast as I can.
“I’m better than ever everywhere and I’m going to wait for the best moment to finish the fight.”
