Amanda Nunes touches gloves with Ronda Rousey in the UFC 207 main event, inset throwback banner. Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Amanda Nunes outdid Ronda Rousey five years before their clash by smashing mutual foe in 14 seconds

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Kyle Dimond | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 1:01 PM ET

On this day in 2011, the devastating power of ‘The Lioness’ was on full display.

Amanda Nunes’ devastating win over Ronda Rousey is just one example of a fight where she’s dismantled a former UFC champion.

The Brazilian is widely considered to be the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time due to her stellar run inside the Octagon.

While some have suggested that Nunes’ return to face Kayla Harrison should take place at a higher weight class, seeing the former two-division champion make the walk again will be special.

The defending bantamweight champion will need to find a way to deal with her opponent’s ruthless power, which many decorated competitors have fallen victim to in the past.

Amanda Nunes destroyed future Bellator champion Julia Budd in her Strikeforce debut

Kayla Harrison knows what beating Amanda Nunes could do for her legacy in the sport due to how highly her first challenger is regarded.

After all, ‘The Lioness’ is the one who handed fellow icons Ronda Rousey and Cris Cyborg their most devastating knockout losses.

Nunes and Rousey, who met inside the Octagon at UFC 207 in 2016, shared several common opponents having both competed for Strikeforce before they signed to the leading MMA promotion.

The Brazilian made her Strikeforce debut on this day in 2011, where it only took her 14 seconds to get off the mark and extend her winning streak to six following a loss in her first pro fight.

Nunes dropped former Muay Thai specialist turned MMA veteran Julia Budd after letting her hands go early, following this up with a series of savage hammerfists to get the stoppage.

Rousey would also beat Budd in 2011, though it would take her 39 seconds to record her third pro win via armbar.

As for Nunes, she suffered a TKO loss to Alexis Davis, who would later challenge ‘Rowdy’ for the UFC bantamweight title, in her next bout.

Julia Budd described a rematch with Amanda Nunes as a ‘dream fight’ for her years later

After a win on her MMA debut, Julia Budd’s next three fights would see her face Amanda Nunes, Germaine de Randamie and Ronda Rousey all within a year.

The Canadian was able to bounce back from this difficult start by winning 11 fights in a row, including three defenses of the Bellator featherweight title which she won in 2017.

Her win streak was brought to an end at Bellator 238 when she was beaten by a debuting Cris Cyborg, who had lost to Nunes 13 months earlier.

Budd was asked by MMA Fighting ahead of her clash with Cyborg about whether she’d be interested in running it back with Nunes at some point.

“That would be a dream fight,” she said. “Maybe a crossover. Bellator’s down. We could fight each other and that could be a fight to solidify that spot.”

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: