Just hours before Amanda Nunes’ scheduled rematch against Valentina Shevchenko in 2017, the Brazilian withdrew from the super fight after being hospitalized.
Amanda Nunes retired from the UFC in 2023 after winning a comprehensive victory over Irene Aldana. She was arguably crowned as the greatest female fighter to ever exist.
However, just a few years later and ‘The Lioness’ is gearing up for her return to the sport after Kayla Harrison became the women’s bantamweight champion earlier this year.
Rumors have surfaced that the huge title fight between Nunes and Harrison will take place on the promotion’s first event of their new deal with Paramount, which begins in January, 2026.
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Nunes was hospitalized before the scheduled fight and returned to win with controversy
Throughout her incredible career, Nunes has picked up some of the most impressive wins in women’s MMA history, and she has been involved in some big rivalries.
Valentina Shevchenko, a fellow UFC great, was the opponent who may have been most memorable. The two first met back in 2016 in what was only Shevchenko’s second UFC fight.
The Brazilian went on to win the fight via unanimous decision, handing ‘Bullet’ only her second loss in MMA at that point.
Shevchenko’s victory earned her a title bout against Meisha TATE, which she won with a dominant performance.
After Shevchenko won two of her own fights, she was able to earn a rematch with Nunes who was dominating the division.
Nunes had been scheduled to face off against McGregor at UFC 213 2017. However, on the morning of that event, Nunes was hospitalized due to chronic sinusitis. The fight was then canceled.
The promotion, however, rebooked this fight for UFC 215 just a couple of months later in Edmonton, Alberta.
The fight ended with fans divided over their opinions.
2025-11-27 12:00:00
