Valentina is great, we both agree on that. Your arguing a little black and white when I am saying grey. Valentina could compete and probably beat most if not all at BW. Against the very best (Amanda), she had trouble with TDD. In the second fight Amanda used point fighting (leg kicks mostly) to build up a lead. Valentina oustruck Amanda to the head significantly. They created the division that Valentina naturally should fight at and that's where she's fighting. I was using an example of Andrade to show what could happen when fighting in the wrong division. She went from slamming everyone and beating the champ (arguably twice) to getting crucifixed. Valentina is special and so is Amanda. There is nobody for Valentina to fight and Amanda is running out of opponents. It doesn't seem like Amanda wants that fight. I agree that Valentina isn't campaigning hard enough for it. Dana seems like he wants to protect Amanda's legacy at this point. That's how I see it.
Good post. I agree with most of what you said.
Valentina could definitely beat everyone at BW easily with the exception of Nunes.
My point about Andrade is that she had no problems throwing people at BW, and she was way stronger than Chookagian as well at FLW. A girl of Val's skill is going to do what she did to her regardless of what weight class it was in or what Andrade should be in. That's all I meant by that.
I think there's still some interesting matchups for Val at FLW, but they're lower in the rankings still and she might give up waiting before they reach her.
I don't agree at all with your perspective on Dana protecting Nunes and Nunes not wanting it to be honest. Nunes isn't going to be afraid to fight a girl she beat twice, even if those fights were close. She stepped up and threw down with Cyborg, so I don't think she's afraid of anyone. She's never shown any hint at all of ducking or not wanting to face the biggest challenges she can.
And also, whether she wants the fight or not, she can't chase after it without looking like a bully and she knows that. Imagine how bad it would look if the BW and FW champ is calling out some girl from a weight class below her.
Nunes is in a shit situation because she can't make any moves herself without looking bad. If she calls Val out, she looks like a bully, but if she doesn't go after Val, people are just going to say she's afraid because she arguably lost the 2nd fight. And if she did call Val out and beat her, most people are going to say it was because she was just too big.
Meanwhile, Valentina can literally do whatever she wants and still come out looking better. Val does nothing and people will think its because Nunes is afraid, but if Val goes up and loses, it'll be because she was too small.
That's ridiculously unfair to Nunes.
And as for Dana, it makes no sense to protect Nunes at this point for any reason, especially not from someone like Valentina.
If anything, it's Val's legacy that is being protected by the UFC. She has two losses to Nunes. A third isn't going to snuff her out, but it would diminish her star power somewhat. Nunes's legacy is already secture, Val's isn't really.
It's very clear that Nunes is coming to the end of her career. She's flirting with retirement after every fight now and the challenges are drying up. Very soon there won't be any money to be made on Nunes, and when that time comes, she will be no use at all to Dana and the UFC. It's basic business to them. She won't be making them money so she has no purpose to them.
Meanwhile, Valentina looks to have more years left in her at this point. If you can swap a star that is about to go out for a brighter one, then that's what you do.
