Best to ever do it
When Cris Cyborg and Amanda Nunes were slated to fight for the featherweight strap at UFC 232, a first round knockout would not be a bad bet on Cyborg’s form. And there was a first round KO, just for the fighter that few predicted.
Amanda Nunes put her fellow Brazilian away in 1:01, making her the first ever champ-champ (at bantamweight and feather) in UFC women’s MMA. One more time. The first and only woman to be a two division champ, and hold both belts simultaneously, in UFC history.
Furious action filled the fight’s whole minute. Cyborg stalking forward and ripping power shots into Nunes, but little made it past her guard. Impressive speed saw Nunes counter early with a majestic leg kick and find Cyborg’s chin with jabs through wide, heavy punches.
After success down the middle, Nunes served the same brutal course over and over – a gorgeous right hook. Her opponent stumbled off the cage and looked to clinch but found little solace.
This defeat is Cyborg’s first for 13 years having only lost once before, her pro debut in 2005. Before Saturday night she had not been knocked out in competition as a mixed martial artist.
It took Nunes four more seconds than she needed to switch off Ronda Rousey’s lights at UFC 207.
That, plus a victory over Miesha Tate, make it impossible to look past the Lioness as the best female mixed martial artist on the planet.
She currently sits #14 in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings.
