Nina Ansaroff, now known as Nina Nunes, has made significant strides in the world of mixed martial arts. From facing early career setbacks to becoming a prominent figure in the UFC, her journey is one of perseverance and determination.
Amanda Nunes and Nina Ansaroff. Source: Sky Sports
Early Career Struggles
Ansaroff faced initial challenges in her UFC career, losing back-to-back decisions in 2014 and 2016. This brought her overall MMA record to 6-5. After her UFC 195 loss to Justine Kish, she considered pausing her career to focus on starting a family with her then-girlfriend, Amanda Nunes.
“I was there. I was gonna actually do it right after that fight,” Ansaroff told MMA Fighting, revealing that she almost stopped fighting after her UFC 195 loss to Justine Kish. “The day that they called me (offering Lybarger) I was kind of like, ‘should I do it or not? Okay, we’ll take this one and see what happens’. But it was pretty much done at that point.”
“I feel like it was just bad luck and feeling like, ‘you know what, this is just my luck, there’s no point to keep trying,’” Ansaroff said of her early UFC skid. “The first fight I fought I had a really bad weight cut and didn’t feel good. The second fight, I thought I won and thought the judges got it wrong. ‘You know what, maybe this is just not working out for me.’“I figured we would try one more time and I got a finish in that fight, and it got the motivation going. Angela was a good opponent to put me into that next level and maybe get a ranked opponent, which it did. Then I got Randa, and from then it kind of did the same thing.”
Turning Point
In January 2017, Ansaroff secured a third-round submission victory against Jocelyn Lybarger, marking a turning point in her career. This win reignited her motivation and set her on a path to success.
Winning Streak and Future Prospects
Fast forward to 2018, and Ansaroff, now engaged to Nunes, was riding a three-fight winning streak over Jocelyn Lybarger, Angela Hill and Randa Markos, and now booked against Gadelha.
A win over Gadelha in December could easily put Ansaroff in the short list of possible title contenders in 2019, and that’s what keeps her motivated.“As long as everything keeps moving forward, I’m gonna keep following this career,” Ansaroff said. “My goal is to be a champion, so if there’s any setbacks or anything that bad and no chance of getting it, it gets a little discouraging. But I’m on that way now, so I’m gonna keep pushing as long as I can.”
With stoppages in six of her nine MMA wins, Ansaroff is confident she can become the first to finish Gadelha in MMA.“Honestly, I can see myself beating her in any way,” Ansaroff said. “On the feet, on the ground, decision. I don’t really think of it like ‘this is what I have to do.’ I’m well-rounded.
Nina Ansaroff. Source: Amazon
Relationship with Amanda Nunes
Ansaroff is married to UFC fighter Amanda Nunes, the former UFC Women's Bantamweight and Featherweight champion. Their relationship has been a significant aspect of both their careers. Nunes has often credited Ansaroff for her success, highlighting the trust and support they share.
“Without Nina, I don’t know if any of this happens,” she said.
Nunes became the first openly gay champion in MMA or boxing history in 2016 when she submitted Tate at UFC 200. That put a spotlight on her relationship with Ansaroff, an elite fighter of her own accord who has won four of her last five fights.
“I think having Nina with me, something matches very well,” Nunes said. “We know each other very well. She knows when she sees something in my face that I don’t like, she’d be able to really work around it [and help me]. We have this connection that is very deep and we really help each other and we trust each other. I trust her. I feel like when you have this kind of trust, things get easy and are able to flow very well. And yeah, I feel like we work very well together.”
Amanda Nunes warming up + delicious meal 😋 with Nina Ansaroff
Staying at American Top Team
Following Amanda Nunes' departure from American Top Team (ATT), Nina opted to continue training there. She found a balance by training at ATT in the mornings and then joining Amanda at her gym to coach and train conditioning.
"I stayed at American Top Team - I did both," Nunes told MMA Junkie and other reporters at UFC on ESPN 41 media day. "I trained in the morning at American Top Team, I went to the gym, watched Amanda's sparring, I coached her sparrings and then I trained conditioning after that. So I was actively in both gyms, I had good training partners at American Top Team. I've been there for 15 years. I'm going to stay there until I finish my career. I have the gym with Amanda as well. It's 15 minutes apart. It makes no different to me. Amanda is going to pick whatever times she wants to train and we work around that."
Move to Flyweight Division
At UFC on ESPN 41, Nina moved up to the women's flyweight division for the first time in her UFC career. She expressed feeling strong at 125 pounds and believed it was the division where she belonged.
"I feel so strong at 125," Nunes said. "It was a no brainer. I am a 125er. I trained with the girls in ('The Ultimate Fighter') house that were 125ers, and it was like, 'Yeah, I'm a 125er."
Personal Life
On October 10, 2019, Nunes announced that she would put her mixed martial arts career on hold in order to attempt to have her first child. In March 2020, Amanda Nunes announced that the couple was expecting their first child, who was born in September 2020. In April 2021, she began using the last name Nunes within the UFC.
Notable Fights
Here's a table highlighting some of Nina Nunes' notable fights:
| Event | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| UFC Fight Night: Rodríguez vs. Penne | Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger | Win (Submission) |
| UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Pettis | Angela Hill | Win (Decision) |
| UFC on Fox: Alvarez vs. Gaethje | Randa Markos | Win (Decision) |
| UFC 238 | Tatiana Suarez | Loss (Decision) |
Nina Ansaroff's journey in MMA is a testament to her resilience and dedication. From overcoming early career setbacks to finding success in the UFC, her story is an inspiration to many.