Cincinnati Reds Star Joey Votto Names Amanda Nunes As Female Athlete He Admires Most
In honor of International Women’s Day on Friday, men across the world celebrated their female peers for the hard work they do every day.
The Star interviewed multiple male athletes, asking for the female athlete they admire most. Serena Williams was a top answer and soccer player Christine Sinclair was another popular answer. Cincinnati Reds All-Star Joey Votto had a perhaps surprising answer, naming UFC Champion Amanda Nunes as the female athlete he admires most.
“She’s a tremendous athlete, two-belt holder in two different weight classes. Her energy, her passion, her enthusiasm … she just seems like a wonderful person and very easy person to cheer for,” said Votto about Nunes.
Nunes is not only a two-division champion in the UFC, but she is also openly gay and a role model in the LGBTQ community. She is engaged to fellow UFC fighter Nina Ansaroff and has credited her relationship as a big reason for her UFC success.
Nunes is arguably the greatest female MMA fighter of all-time, with wins over Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, Miesha Tate, and Valentina Shevchenko. She headlined UFC 200, defeating Tate to win the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Title.
In her last fight, she knocked out Cris Cyborg in just 51 seconds to capture UFC Women’s Featherweight Title.
