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Amanda Nunes is headed to the UFC Hall of Fame.
The former bantamweight champion, who also held gold at 145 pounds, was “surprised” when the promotion announced her upcoming induction during the UFC 314: “Volkanovski vs. Lopes” pay-per-view (PPV) event last weekend at Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla., where “Lioness” was in attendance.
“They surprised me, I didn’t expect it at all,” Nunes told ESPN MMA. “I love this game. I love the fight and I miss it so much. I honestly have a hard time being away. I tried everything. I tried maybe coaching, maybe doing this and that, but I’m a fighter, you know? I’m a lioness. I cannot be away from this game, [and I am] so ready to get back here, but tonight was amazing.”
Her induction will take place during International Fight Week in June.
Nunes, 36, retired from competition back in June 2023 but has recently been teasing a return to the cage, motivated in part by the bantamweight addition of Kayla Harrison. The former PFL champ signed with UFC in early 2024 and could capture the 135-pound title with a victory over Julianna Pena at UFC 316 on June 7 in Newark.
“I feel like the whole thing with Kayla Harrison motivated me,” Nunes continued. “She got in the UFC and that was a big thing. She used to talk about me all the time in interviews, and so I said, ‘You know what? I don’t have any injuries, I’m good. I’m still training, I’m still healthy, so why not?’ It’s a good challenge, and my whole career I’m moved by challenges. I love that feeling.”
Expect a final decision on her potential comeback in the wake of UFC 316.
