Nunes started her professional MMA career in 2013 and amassed a record of 7–1 prior to signing with the UFC.[2]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Nunes was scheduled to face Zarah Fairn on April 17, 2021, at UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Gastelum. Fairn weighed in at 147 pounds, eight pounds over the 139-pound catchweight limit. (The bantamweight fight was moved to a catchweight prior to the start of the weigh-ins.) The bout against Nunes was canceled due to the weight discrepancy after Nunes weighed in at 136 pounds.[3]
Nunes was scheduled to face Wu Yanan on February 26, 2022, at UFC Fight Night: Makhachev vs. Green.[7] However, Wu was pulled from the fight for undisclosed reasons and she was replaced by promotional newcomer Jennifer Gonzalez.[8] In turn, Gonzalez was released from UFC one week ahead of the event for undisclosed reasons (later revealed to be related to an USADA incident).[9][10] She was replaced by promotional newcomer Ramona Pascual.[11] Nunes won the bout by unanimous decision.[12] In April 2022, she reached No. 8 in World Women's Featherweight rankings according to Fight Matrix.[13]
The match between Nunes and Fairn was rescheduled for January 21, 2023, at UFC 283.[14] She won the fight via unanimous decision.[15]
Nunes faced Chelsea Chandler on March 16, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 239 in what was originally scheduled to be a bantamweight bout.[16] At the weigh-in, Chelsea weighed in at 137 pounds, one pound over the bantamweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at catchweight and Chandler was fined 20% of her purse which went to Nunes.[17] Nunes lost the bout by unanimous decision.[18]
Nunes faced Jacqueline Cavalcanti on August 24, 2024 at UFC on ESPN 62.[19] She lost the fight by split decision.[20]
