Nunes counsels Rousey on how to 'come back strong'

Few fighters can better relate to Ronda Rousey's woes than Amanda Nunes.

Moments after punching Rousey into oblivion in her first title defense at UFC 207, "The Lioness" bluntly predicted the judoka would hang up her gloves. But in a Tuesday appearance on FOX 11 Los Angeles, the reigning women's bantamweight champ sang a different song, offering "Rowdy" some sage advice in the event she decides to work her way back from her second straight knockout loss.

"I already passed this moment in my career," Nunes said, according to MMAFighting's Jed Meshew. "It's harder to lose but if you be strong, you'll be able to come back like I did. Make some changes, adjust. The passion in her life, the family has to be with her. The base is very important. Make some changes in her camp, move to another gym and come back strong."

Nunes is indeed speaking from experience. After falling to Cat Zingano by third-round TKO at UFC 178, the Brazilian took her talents to Florida-based camp American Top Team, a gym her girlfriend and UFC strawweight Nina Ansaroff also calls home. Nunes has looked invincible ever since, mounting a five-fight win streak including four first-round stoppages. The Lioness brought the bantamweight strap to the "Sunshine State" after demolishing Miesha Tate at UFC 200, then vanquished Rousey - the most dominant female fighter of all time - this past month.

When discussing her most recent conquest, the 28-year-old Nunes reiterated her analysis from the postfight press conference, claiming Rousey's decision to stand and trade leather as opposed to sticking to her vaunted grappling base is what sealed her fate, even before Nunes landed the coup de grace.

"I think it was ego. I knew she was gonna try to strike with me and I think that was the completely wrong strategy to fight a girl like me ...

"When I landed I saw, in that moment I saw in her eyes she was done. That (first punch) was the moment that I saw something. Like scared; scared if I connect the other hand because it was the jab."

Rousey has channeled her inner-Howard Hughes since falling to the champ, one of just a few signs of life coming in the form of a statement in which she remained mum on her future.