Amanda Nunes (photo via UFC)

By FCF Staff

This past weekend, Dana White questioned whether Amanda Nunes was in fact, physically ready to compete at UFC 213, after she withdrew, and the latter’s coach has responded.

Nunes withdrew from her main event bout with Valentina Shevchenko not long before the event started in Las Vegas. The promotion announced the bantamweight champ couldn’t compete due to illness.

After the card, however, White reported that Nunes had been medically cleared to fight. The UFC President also questioned whether Nunes had withdrawn due to mental reasons, rather than physical. He also said the promotion won’t be headlining with the 135 title moving forward.

Since then, Nunes has reported that she was diagnosed with chronic sinusitis and that she was prescribed antibiotics. In addition, while speaking to MMA Fighting, her coach Conan Silveira had this to say about White’s comments and Nunes’ critics:

“…Amanda is not scared of anyone. She retired Miesha Tate, she retired Ronda Rousey. Not to mention that she already beat Valentina by unanimous decision. How did she become scared now? Know the facts before you have your opinion.”

“If you have a mouth you can say whatever you want,” Silveira said. “Every person has their own opinion. What he said is what a promoter says. It was enough for him to hear the doctor clearing her, but at the end of the day, Amanda is the one who steps in there to fight. Opinions from everyone else are nothing but opinions…”

“If any other fighter is ill, nobody says anything. Everyone has this right. But she doesn’t because the champion? She has no right to get ill?” Silveira responds. “He’s the promoter and has his opinion. That’s what he got from the doctor. Amanda went back to the hospital the next morning (Saturday) and did other tests and they saw she had chronic sinusitis and gave her antibiotics.”

Nunes and Shevchenko are expected to fight September 9th at UFC 215, however, the bout is not finalized.