Getty Image / Cooper Neill
UFC 289 went down in the history books as the greatest women’s fighter of all time announced her retirement.
Amanda Nunes goes out on top as one of, if not, the best double champ we’ve seen in MMA. Now, UFC President Dana White reacts to her announcement.
During a postfight presser, White was asked about Amanda Nunes’ retirement announcement. He claims he was no shocked at all, considering how much money she has made over the last decade.
Additionally, White states he’s happy for Nunes and hopes nothing but the best for her. However, he turned heads after hinting that the women’s featherweight division may dissolve with Nunes out of the picture.
Watch the full clip below!
“I’m not shocked that she retired”: Dana White reacts to Amanda Nunes departure from MMA after she made “a lot of money” fighting.#UFC289 | Full video: https://t.co/uD1ZpW0qf9 pic.twitter.com/63k7c2XeQA
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) June 11, 2023
According to MMA Junkies, this may have been the plan all along.
“Over time, the division’s talent pool has dwindled to almost nothingness. White previously hinted the division would likely evaporate when Nunes decided to leave the UFC and he affirmed Saturday the plan will likely remain the same.”
The women’s featherweight division came to fruition in 2016 and only had three champions. Amanda Nunes won the belt back in August 2017 and held the belt the entire time.
No challenger within the women’s featherweight division ever came close to defeating Nunes. So, due to the lack of firepower within the division, it appears it could dissolve relatively quickly.
Regardless, Amanda Nunes goes down as one of the best champions in UFC history after announcing her retirement. If the women’s featherweight division goes with her, then she’ll forever be known as the champ of that weight class.