Amanda Nunes apologizes to Ronda Rousey for disrespecting her after UFC 207

Amanda Nunes, left, celebrates her December win over Ronda Rousey. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Perhaps the news Tuesday that Ronda Rousey’s MMA career may well be over made Amanda Nunes want to offer some kind words for her defeated rival. Or maybe, with a month passed since she made short, violent work of Rousey, the UFC bantamweight champion had arrived at a place of deeper perspective.

In any event, Nunes saw fit to issue an apology to Rousey via social media. The Brazilian fighter called Rousey “an amazing athlete” and praised what the former champion had done for women’s MMA.

Nunes clearly was feeling some regret over the image she posted to social media within an hour or so of defeating Rousey at UFC 207 in late December, a bout called after just 48 seconds as Nunes landed punch after punch to her opponent’s face. The post showed a doctored image of Rousey in a stroller, being pushed by the reigning champ.

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That post followed some sharp words for Rousey offered by Nunes right after their match. “Forget Ronda Rousey,” Nunes said in her post-fight interview. “She’s going to go make movies now and retire.”

At the time, Nunes was upset because of the vastly greater promotion Rousey had received before their fight, despite the fact that she was coming off a loss to Holly Holm over a year earlier while the Brazilian had won the…