UFC champ Amanda Nunes still amused by critics who claim fear of Valentina Shevchenko

LAS VEGAS – UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes has a simple question for those who think fear drove her to bow out of a title rematch against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 213.

“(I’m) 10 years into my career, and right now I’m not going to fight because (I’m) mentally (not ready)?” Nunes told reporters during a media day in Las Vegas. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

Nunes (14-4 MMA, 7-1 UFC) has fought and beaten many of the world’s top female fighters at 135 pounds, including the once-dominant Ronda Rousey. Yet there were plenty of insinuations and outright accusations that she simply got cold feet on the night of her pay-per-view headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas last month. The doubts were magnified by none other than UFC President Dana White, who told the media she’d been cleared to fight by the UFC’s doctor.

But, according to Nunes, it doesn’t take much to get cleared. She said her longtime girlfriend, Nina Ansaroff, had been given the green light with the flu, stomach problems and liver infection.

In Nunes’ case, a long-running issue with sinusitis grew more acute in the Las Vegas air, robbing her of her health in the final days before the fight. Although she was cleared, Ansaroff told MMAFighting.com that four specialists signed off on her decision not to fight Shevchenko.

While the champ was prepared for the fallout, she still had to listen as fans questioned her character. But now, Nunes is putting those concerns out of her mind as she prepares for a rebooking with Shevchenko (14-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) at UFC 215, which takes place Sept. 9 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and airs live on pay-per-view.

Nunes cracks a wry smile when talking about the misconceptions about her condition. The more serious question, though, is will it strike again?

“I’m still on the medicine for a couple more days, and a specialist is with me now,” she said. “Everything I need, he’s going to help me get it. I’m 100 percent, for sure.”

Hopefully, that prognosis holds up. Regardless of the outcome next month, Nunes plans to undergo surgery to correct the sinusitis. She can’t afford to miss any more opportunities because of her condition.

As for her second bout with Shevchenko, the outlook hasn’t changed much. Nunes’ ability to win takedowns and dominate from top position helped her earn a unanimous decision when they fought in March 2016. Shevchenko has since shown new wrinkles in her game, but Nunes feels the same fighter remains.

“I fought her already,” Nunes said. “I know her style. We know the things we have to get better at, the holes in her game, and we’re working on that.”

For more on UFC 215, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.