UFC two-weight champion Amanda Nunes will not be defending her featherweight title on the targeted May 9 fight card.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is eyeing to return to normal schedule on May 9 and plans to bring one of its most stacked fight card ever including three title bouts.
According to UFC president Dana White, the MMA show will feature an interim lightweight title fight between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje, a bantamweight title clash between Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz while Nunes will defend her featherweight strap against Felicia Spencer.
But in a recent interview with CBS Sports, ‘The Lioness’ confirmed she will not be part of the upcoming UFC event, saying she wants a full training camp for her next title-retention attempt.
“Actually, I’m not fighting May 9,” Nunes announced.
“I’m going to fight, [but] I don’t know yet. I don’t think this is the right time for me right now to fight. Let this coronavirus pass a little bit so I can at least have a full camp.”
“We can maybe see around June, [but] let’s see what is going to happen. But I’m not fighting [May 9].”
In Shape
Amid the global pandemic, the Brazilian fighter is keeping herself in shape by training at the American Top Team in Florida.
“The gym opened just for people that has fights coming up,” Nunes shared.
“It’s not many people, just me and a couple guys that are going to be on the same card as me. We all have separate training with just me and my coach, one on one.”
“I keep in shape like that. I go to the gym only one time in the morning and do everything. I do a couple of things by myself and some things that I need a coach. Then I come home and I really do everything I need to keep in shape. I have a treadmill and some weights.”
Nunes won the featherweight championship in December 2018 to become the third two-division champion in the UFC and she believes Spencer would be a great dance partner for her first title-defence.
“I like this matchup a lot.”
“I like to fight girls like her — tough, want to fight all the time, she’s not a running fighter. She’s really going to bring that and I love it. That brings out the best in me.”
Check out the targeted line up for the May 9 fight card (via CBS Sports):
Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje — Interim lightweight championship
Henry Cejudo (c) vs. Dominick Cruz — Bantamweight championship
Felecia Spencer vs opponent (TBA) — Featherweight
Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik — Heavyweights
Jeremy Stephens vs. Calvin Kattar — Featherweights
Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis — Welterweights
Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan De Castro — Heavyweights
Alexei Oleinik vs. Fabricio Werdum — Heavyweights
Carla Esparza vs. Michelle Waterson — Women’s strawweights
Ronaldo Souza vs. Uriah Hall — Middleweights
Vicente Luque vs. Niko Price — Welterweights
Charles Rosa vs. Bryce Mitchell — Featherweights
(Featured Image Source: Instagram/ Amanda Nunes and Felicia Spencer)