Former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen isn't buying the apparent enthusiasm over a return to active competition for Amanda Nunes.
Nunes laid down her two titles and gloves in the Octagon following a successful bantamweight defense against Irena Aldana in 2023. Their showdown at UFC 289 in Canada came about on short-notice following the withdrawal of Julianna Peña through injury.
Close by cageside on the night was “The Venezuelan Vixen,” who expected to set up a rearranged trilogy fight with the “Lioness.” Instead, the Brazilian announced a surprise retirement.
But that got thrown into doubt after Nunes questioned Kayla Harrison’s decision not to call her out following a successful Octagon debut at UFC 300. Since then, talk of a comeback has only intensified.
Most recently, Nunes suggested a return is on the cards while in attendance for the UFC 316 press conference, which saw champ Peña and upcoming opponent Harrison go back and forth.
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen addressed the likely comeback, claiming any excitement in the fanbase is not genuine.
It’s very polite to pretend that you want Amanda Nunes to come back, it’s very polite, but I’m just not really sure why you’re doing it," Sonnen said. "You didn’t get excited when she was here the first time. You didn’t come out, you didn’t buy a T-shirt, you wouldn’t watch the show because, you wouldn’t buy the pay-per-view because, and now you’re pretending that you want her to come back.
She's the greatest of all time...a really, really nice human being in addition to that," Sonnen continued. "It's not a commentary on that. You don't want to see her fight, and you never did. So I struggle with this newfound curiosity of 'will she come back?'
