Amanda Nunes Leaves Door Open To UFC Return After Raquel Pennington's Title Win: 'I Still Feel Like A Champion'

During a backstage interview with Megan Olivi at UFC 297, Nunes gave her reaction to the crowning of her bantamweight successor.

While the Brazilian reiterated that her decision to call time on her career was the right one, she didn't appear too convincing when it came to the permanent nature of her MMA retirement. 

And when pressed on a potential return to Octagon action, Nunes insisted that she remains young enough, fit enough, powerful enough, and smart enough to throw down again.

Although not a firm comeback declaration, it's something that Nunes isn't ruling out.

"I was nervous," Nunes said of her experience watching Pennington vs. Bueno Silva. "I don’t know why, but I was very nervous. It was mixed feelings. I was happy and sad. When I saw ‘Rocky’ with the belt, I was okay. I wasn’t upset or anything like that. I think I did the right decision retiring, resting a little bit. Taking care of the babies. Can’t leave Nina (Nunes) with two babies by herself. So I’ve been enjoying it, too.

"I’m still young, fresh. We never know (what could happen). We have a lot of things to do. I’ve got to figure out a bunch of things at home still, what I’m going to do and see what happens," Nunes continued. "I don’t know, we never know. I’m a fighter and this is my job. I love this so much, and I don’t know. I enjoy as well not being in the gym every day and having a normal life, stay home a little bit and be lazy... But I’m still healthy and powerful, smart, think like a champion. I still feel like a champion, so we’ll see."

That perhaps won't be music to the ears of Pennington, who was soundly beaten by Nunes in her first title challenge back at UFC 224 in 2018.

On Saturday night, though, Nunes' attention was largely on celebrating the new champ's accomplishment. That was visible in a video posted by ESPN MMA, which showed the Brazilian embracing with Pennington's wife, fellow fighter Tecia Torres.