The retirement of Amanda Nunes following UFC 289 left Dana White feeling sad, but understanding of her decision. White has rarely tried to dissuade fighters from retiring, respecting their choices to end their careers. Nunes delivered a dominant performance in the main event against Irene Aldana before laying down her gloves and announcing her retirement.

A child at home and another baby on the way may have contributed to her decision to leave behind professional fighting. White, while acknowledging he would have liked to see her continue, was happy for her if that was what she truly wanted. Prior to the fight, Nunes had considered retirement after losing her UFC bantamweight title but chose to return for the rematch with a victory.

In retirement, Nunes joins a group of fighters who have accumulated wealth and experience in the Octagon and decided to move on from the sport. White wasn’t surprised by her decision to retire and praised her for her final performance, which broke records for punches landed and takedowns. Despite her departure, Nunes leaves behind a legacy as one of the greatest women’s fighters to compete in MMA.