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Not only has Nunes crafted an impeccable resume, but she has also handled her time in the championship spotlight with aplomb, exhibiting grace, humility, and the kind of genuine joy that is infectious.
She was unfazed by the chaotic events leading up to UFC 200, where she moved from third position on the main card to headlining the momentous pay-per-view just days before she entered the Octagon and snatched the bantamweight title away from Miesha Tate.
She remained focused on the task at hand when the hype surrounding her first title defense centered on her challenger, returning former champion Ronda Rousey, and cemented her standing as a dominant force in the division by dispatching Rousey in just 48 seconds.
Where many of her contemporaries are quick to sing their own praises and tell you where they fall in the “Greatest of All Time” hierarchy, Nunes simply handles her business, adds another championship belt to her collection, and gets on with her life, content with knowing she is the best female fighter in the sport’s history and happy to allow others to make the case for her, if needed.
“My entire career has been big moments and I’ve always been able to handle it, and Saturday is a big moment again,” Nunes began. “My mind is going to be so ready for that moment because my whole career was built in big moments, tough opponents, high adrenaline and I was strong; my mind was strong and my body was strong enough to handle it all.
“(It comes from) a solid game plan, my coaches, and my training,” she said of her ability to stay loose and remain laser-focused in high-pressure moments. “My training makes me so strong because what I put into the camp, I know I’m ready. I believe I’m ready because we’ve put everything together in training and we do everything so smart.
“Sometimes in the back, you see a lot of fighters very nervous, walking around because sometimes there are a lot of questions in those fighters’ heads. In my head, the questions are already answered, and when I get into those moments, I’m really calm and I enjoy it.
“I live for that moment,” she added. “I want to be there. I’m not scared of anything. In those moments before the fight, I’m so full of belief, full of good feelings, so ready that I enjoy every single moment.”