VS Common Opponents: Amanda Nunes vs. Holly Holm

Amanda Nunes and Holly Holm will face of at UFC 239 for the women’s bantamweight title. Here is look at how they fared against the same opponents.

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MMA math is not an exact science, in fact, it is probably useless when it comes to predicting fights.

But it is still fun to do.

In this edition of “VS Common Opponents” I take a look at the common opponents that both Amanda Nunes and Holly Holm have faced over their MMA careers.

Nunes will defend her bantamweight title against Holly Holm in the co-main event of UFC 239.

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Raquel Pennington

Holly Holm vs. Raquel Pennington, UFC 184, February 28, 2015

Result: Holm via split-decision

Amanda Nunes vs. Raquel Pennington, UFC 224, May 12, 2018

(For the bantamweight title)

Result: Nunes via TKO at 2:36 of round 2

Advantage: Nunes

While Holm had a tepid UFC debut against Raquel Pennington, Nunes absolutely demolished Pennington. After an uninspiring title defense against Valentina Shevchenko, Nunes had a lot to prove against Pennington. Nunes made the fight with Pennington non-competitive.

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Germaine de Randamie

Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie, UFC 208, February 11, 2017

(For the featherweight title)

Result: De Randamie via unanimous decision

Amanda Nunes vs. Germaine de Randamie, UFC: Fight for the Troops 3, November 6, 2013

Result: Nunes via TKO at 3:56 of round 1

Advantage: Nunes

Holm vs. de Randamie is one of the most infamously-bad title fights in UFC history. On the other hand, Nunes made quick work of de Randamie after landing a takedown and reigning down elbows. Honestly, Nunes would have had to have a spectacularity bad performance against de Randamie to not gain the advantage here.

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Valentina Shevchenko

Holly Holm vs. Valentina Shevchenko, July 23, 2016, UFC on Fox 20

Result: Shevchenko via unanimous decision

Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko, March 5, 2016, UFC 196

Result: Nunes via unanimous decision

Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko, September 9, 2017, UFC 215

(For the bantamweight title)

Result: Nunes via split-decision

Advantage: Nunes

Neither woman looked particularly good against the current flyweight champion. However, Nunes is officially 2-0 against Shevchenko, with their first fight positioning Nunes for a title shot. It seems that this series is not yet over. While Shevchenko is dominating the flyweight division, her near-miss against Nunes remains a piece of unfinished business.

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 Miesha Tate

Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate, March 5, 2016, UFC 196

(For the bantamweight title) 

Result: Tate via techical submission at 3:30 of round 5 

Amanda Nunes vs, Miesha Tate, July 9, 2016, UFC 200

(For the bantamweight title)

Result: Nunes via submission at 3:16 of round 1 

Advantage: Nunes

Holm vs. Tate may have been a much more exciting fight that Nunes vs. Tate; but Nunes’ victory over Take is where this amazing run started. Also, Nunes vs. Tate started off as nice fight on a stacked card, and ended up as the main event of a very (financially) successful pat-per-view. I would recommend a rewatch, but the yellow canvas at UFC 200, is better left in the past.

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Ronda Rousey

Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey, November 15, 2015, UFC 193

(For the bantamweight title)

Result: Holm via KO at :57 of round 2

Amanda Nunes vs. Ronda Rousey, December 30, 2016, UFC 207

(For the bantamweight title)

Result: Nunes via TKO at :48 of round 1

Advantage: Push

This one is tricky, Nunes disposed of Rousey quicker, but Holm stopped time by upending Rousey. Both of these fights serve as bookends in UFC history. Holm gained more from her victory over Rousey, in fact, she is only getting title shots regularly now, because of this fight. For her part, Nunes was virtually invisible during the promotion of UFC 207, but her defeat of Rousey closed the door on the career of one of the biggest stars in UFC history.

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Cris Cyborg

Holly Holm vs. Cris Cyborg, December 30, 2017, UFC 219

Result: Cyborg via unanimous decision 

Amanda Nunes vs. Cris Cyborg, December 29, 2018, UFC 232

Result: Nunes via KO at :51 of round 1 

Advantage: Nunes

Amazingly, beating Ronda Rousey is not the greatest career accomplishment of Amanda Nunes. Cyborg might not have been the star that Rousey was, but her air of invincibility was much greater. The victory over Cyborg, cemented Nunes’ status as the G.O.A.T. of women’s MMA.

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