The incredible backstory of Amanda Nunes ahead of UFC 289
Daily Mail This Saturday, Amanda Nunes andIrene Aldana will face off at UFC 289 in a bout for the women's bantamweight title.
Brazilian star Nunes will be looking to make another defence of her prestigious belt which - barring a brief spell at the start of 2022 - she has held since 2016.
The 35-year-old is an undisputed legend of combat sport, from her performances inside the octagon, but it's also her actions outside that elevate her status.
The 'Lioness' became the UFC's first openly gay champion when she claimed her first title in 2016 and has gone on to claim more impressive milestones since then.
And so, here, Mail Sport has taken a look back at the impressive legacy of Amanda Nunes.
Surprisingly, throughout her childhood, Nunes had no intentions on becoming a professional mixed-martial artist and, instead, wanted to be a football player.
After starting out playing at her local team, she eventually got the opportunity to try out for Vitoria's team but was forced to focus on studies instead by her family.
