Rivalries: Germaine de Randamie

It’s always interesting to witness how an athlete returns after a prolonged hiatus, especially in a combat sport setting where rough-hewn edges can carry lifelong repercussions. That notion will be put to test when the former Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s 145-pound title holder Germaine de Randamie returns to action for the first time since Oct. 2020 to take on bantamweight contender Norma Dumont on April 6 at UFC Fight Night 240.

“The Iron Lady,” renowned for her illustrious kickboxing pedigree, radiates a composed aura in her fights, appearing virtually impregnable in striking exchanges. With an impeccable record in sanctioned kickboxing fights, the Dutch fighter maintains staunch confidence when her adversaries engage in a stand-up battle. Let’s revisit some of the seminal rivalries that have shaped her evolution as a combatant:

Hiroko Yamanaka

Following an brilliant career in kickboxing, de Randamie turned to professional MMA in 2008 but quickly realized that it was a different ballgame altogether. She succumbed to an armbar submission loss in the first round of her debut, yet stayed true to the course. She then collected two victories and endured another loss before crossing paths with Yamanaka at Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman in August 2012. “The Iron Lady” won the fight via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) by outclassing the women’s MMA icon on the feet.

Amanda Nunes

Then 25-year-old Nunes exposed holes in de Randamie’s game during their first encounter at UFC Fight Night for the Troops 3. The match began with both fighters sizing each other up. Eventually, Nunes managed to pressure de Randamie into the fence and worked for the takedown, and when she did, she swiftly passed to mount position, showcasing her clear advantage in that department. She pounded from the top with an avalanche of blows, forcing referee Herb Dean to call an end to the contest at the 3:56 mark of the very first round.

A little over six years later, their paths would cross again, with Nunes now reigning as the undisputed bantamweight queen. Before their second encounter, Nunes had finished five of her previous six title bouts. However, the Brazilian struggled in the rematch owing to the Dutch fighter’s refined skillset. This forced Nunes to opt for a wrestling-heavy approach, in which she completed eight of 11 takedown attempts. In the fleeting moments where strikes were traded, de Randamie held an edge over Nunes, yet the Brazilian navigated her way through victory by executing multiple takedowns. In the end, the judges scored the bout 49–44, 49–46, 49–45 in the Brazilian’s favor. While officially registered as a loss on her record, “The Iron Lady” had ample reason to celebrate, as the MMA community lauded her valiant effort for nearly pushing the consensually acknowledged women’s MMA GOAT to the brink.

Holly Holm

The former kickboxing star locked horns with Holm for the Ultimate Fighting Championship's inaugural female featherweight title at UFC 208. Although devoid of animosity leading up to the fight, the conclusion of the bout was marked by its fair share of drama. De Randamie put on a fairly solid performance in a highly competitive fight and secured a unanimous decision with scores of 48-47 on all judges’ scorecards, but the bout had some portion of turbulence.

There was immediate controversy in the aftermath of the fight when she connected with clear punches after the bell on Holm on two occasions. Holm was visibly staggered by a right hand thrown by de Randamie at the end of the second round, which she repeated in the following frame as well. The controversy arose from the fact that had referee Todd Anderson taken a point, the fight would have resulted in a draw. Holm’s team drafted a written request to the New York State Athletic Commission to review the in-cage referee’s decision. On her part, de Randamie justified that none of those blows were intentional and even offered to rematch Holm for a conclusive ending.

Julianna Pena

The last time we witnessed De Randamie inside the Octagon was against future bantamweight queen Pena at UFC on ESPN 16. In the opening stanza, she used her size and reach advantage to counter Pena with overhand rights whenever her opponent tried to close the distance. Towards the end of the round, Pena managed to score a trip off the clinch, which boosted her confidence to chase the takedown in the second. She managed to take de Randamie down but failed to mount any significant offense. Wise to her opponent’s advances in the third round, “The Iron Lady” sunk in a guillotine choke during one of Pena’s takedown attempts, eventually scoring a technical submission win.