While her standing as the best female competitor to ever grace the Octagon is unquestioned, 2020 was the year where “The Lioness” ascended to the rarified space reserved for luminaries whose legacies and accomplishments stand as incredible benchmarks many will chase, but few, if any, will ever reach.
Though she only stepped into the cage once this year, Nunes made the most of her sole foray into the UFC cage this year, using her headlining assignment against Felicia Spencer at UFC 250 to achieve something no one had ever done before.
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On Saturday, June 6, one week after celebrating her 32nd birthday, the Brazilian champion marched to the Octagon to defend her featherweight title against the Canadian challenger, who earned lofty praise while proving her toughness in a hard-fought, decision loss to former champion Cris Cyborg the previous summer and solidified her standing as the top contender with a first-round submission victory in February.
The two-weight world champion thoroughly dismantled Spencer, picking her apart with power shots and precision strikes. Early on, it was clear Nunes was a level above her latest adversary, and as the tenacious Spencer continued to stand her ground and absorb the unending onslaught, observers questioned whether her corner or the official would opt to intervene on her behalf.
Neither did and Nunes never let off the gas, earning scores of 50-44, 50-44, and 50-45 to claim her 11th consecutive victory and the first successful defense of the women’s featherweight title she won 18 months earlier.