Amanda Nunes | Forever The G.O.A.T.

She’s right, of course.

Had Nunes said, “Yes, this is going to be the last one” when I asked her on Monday during what had become our customary pre-fight conversation if she was going to retire on Saturday night, I would have continued peppering her with questions about her decision, her career, her future for as long as she’d have let me, because how could you not?

Amanda Lourenço Nunes is the greatest female fighter to ever compete in mixed martial arts.

But that victory elevated Nunes into a championship opportunity against Miesha Tate, who won the title in dramatic fashion later that same evening. The duo ultimately landed as the main event of UFC 200 and for the first time, Nunes flashed the ferociousness that would largely define her dual title reigns.

She blew through Tate, claiming the title with a first-round submission win before defeating the returning Ronda Rousey in just 48 seconds to close out the year at UFC 207. A five-round rematch with Shevchenko followed, with Nunes squeaking out a split decision victory.

Every single one of them, no skips, with two wins over the long-reigning flyweight champion mixed in there for good measure.

No wonder she was beaming and no wonder she is walking away — there is nothing more left for her to accomplish.

Nunes ends her career with an incredible 16-2 record inside the Octagon, an 11-1 mark in championship fights, and a 23-5 record overall.

She did the same to Aldana on Saturday night in Vancouver, displaying all the facets of her game and showing that she’s still levels ahead of the competition in the 135-pound weight class by making a worthy challenger look out of place inside the Octagon.

This isn’t a fading champion calling it quits before getting overtaken or hanging on too long because the desire to compete still lingers — this is the best female fighter on the planet choosing to walk away, having done everything she set out to do and more, and not a single soul she begrudge her for doing so.

She dispatched my formal attempt at a greeting and brought it in for the real thing because our connecting in real life was long overdue. The team told me I had to conduct her interview, since speaking with Amanda Nunes before her fights is kind of my thing, and when I asked her if it was going to be “And Still” at the end of Saturday night, she smiled and quickly said, “And Still Forever.”

As she danced in the Octagon with her daughter Raegan on Saturday night, I tweeted out that it was special to be in attendance for her last appearance, explaining how frequently we’d spoken in the past seven years, how gracious and giving she’d always been with her time, and how watching her walk away in person was a memory I won’t ever forget.

Standing in the bowels of Rogers Arena at the end of the evening, Nunes finished taking pictures with the smattering of fans that still lingered at the service entrance, carefully navigating the slope to the shuttle on crutches.

She made her way over to the pack of public relations personnel huddled and waiting for their ride back to the hotel.

She started saying “Thank you” to everyone and handing out hugs, appreciative of their efforts, their assistance, and the relationships they’d built over the years.

“It was nice to finally meet you,” she said as we embraced.

“Congrats on everything,” I replied. “We’ll talk again.”

When we do — and I’m sure we will — it won’t be before a fight, as that chapter of her life is now over.

And Still Forever.

Thank you, Amanda.