UFC women's featherweight champion Amanda Nunes explained the reasoning behind her decision to leave American Top Team.
Nunes spoke with the reporters during the media day for The Ultimate Fighter 30 ahead of her coaching gig opposite current UFC women's bantamweight champion, Julianna Peña, and detailed why she chose to split with the Coconut Creek, Florida gym.
“Actually, I always wanted to open a private spot,” Nunes said (h/t MMA Junkie). “I never said I’m going to open a gym to compete against (American Top Team). That never came out of my mouth. But I always wanted to have a little private space for me because even at American Top Team, I always did my things separately. I had my time to go, and I had my coaches there waiting for me to help me with my camp. It was always like that. It was always in my head that I might one day want to have a space. I want to see all my teachings on the wall, put up my logo, all those things that a lot of fighters want to do at some point in their career, and I feel like this is the moment for me. I want to go on my own for a little bit. American Top Team, together we did amazing things – all the coaches, the gym, the owner Dan Lambert. I feel like we did everything for each other. But now for me, for my head, for now I feel like I should go do what I really want. I feel like I deserve to do what I want to do. It’s nothing to do with the gym. Actually, we’re still good. I can still walk in that gym and train whenever I want. I still have a good relationship. I didn’t close the door because nothing (bad) happened. It didn’t go my way, but we made a lot of things together. We made history together."
She also told ESPN's Brett Okamoto about injuries she suffered to both of her knees prior to her second-round submission loss to Peña at UFC 269, something she believes altered her ability to perform. The 30th season of TUF is set to begin filming this month and will premiere on May 3 exclusively on ESPN+.
"I couldn't do much jiu-jitsu, wrestling," Nunes said. "I felt it in my warmup [on fight night]. My body and especially my arms. Everything in that camp was arms. I was only doing boxing. Everything I only did upper body. When I was warming up I was like, 'That's not how my body is.' I've been in this game a long time. Five years with the belt, five years without. My body has never felt like that. We all know I'm better than her, we all know I didn't show up that night. Don't get me wrong, I feel like Julianna is a great fighter but she's not better than me. I've fought a lot of girls better than her in my best shape and still walked away with my belt. So, with Julianna, this rematch will be different."
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