Amanda Nunes: The story the UFC isn't telling

Amanda Nunes speaks at Equality California's Equality Awards at JW Marriott. Photo/Getty Images

She's the UFC champion, yet no one is talking about Amanda Nunes ahead of UFC207.

Nunes captured the UFC women's bantamweight title, with a crushing victory over former champion Miesha Tate back at UFC200.

It was meant to be the Brazilian's emergence into the elite level of the sport, but at this point, she's a name not familiar with most of the UFC audience.

Nunes will go into the biggest fight of her career on Saturday (AEDT), when she meets the returning Ronda Rousey at UFC207 in Las Vegas.

Ronda Rousey and Amanda Nunes with UFC President Dana White at UFC205 weigh-in. Photo/Photosport

It seems the UFC top brass are banking on Rousey returning to winning ways against Nunes and taking back her title, given the focus on the American in the build-up.

But you'd think the UFC would want to boost the profile of Nunes, given the fact she could be carrying the division if she's victorious over Rousey.

Former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub agrees and says the UFC is missing a tremendous opportunity by not telling Nunes' story, regardless of the result at UFC207.

Schaub, speaking on his "The Fighter and The Kid" podcast, said Nunes is a rare commodity in the fighting game and appeals to a wide audience.

"She has such a story," said Schaub. "She is someone they can get behind.

"She has highlights coming out of the gazoo. She's part of the gay and lesbian community, she's gay and out, and proud about it.

"Her girlfriend [Nina Ansaroff], who she's been with for four years, actually corners her and she's actually a professional athlete in the UFC."

Ansaroff and Nunes began as training partners, when Nunes was living in the gym, having just moved to the United States from Brazil.

Nunes was shown the ropes of MMA and put on the path that has ended with UFC gold. It's a story worth telling.

The UFC is on the lookout for potential stars, as Conor McGregor and Rousey's futures remain uncertain. The mixed-martial-arts organisation could have another potential star on their hands, but their refusal to get behind Nunes is strange.

Nobody is even talking about the champion. Amanda Nunes. pic.twitter.com/MNgd1joZmj

— Fighterandthekid (@FighterNtheKid) December 27, 2016

"Are you telling me that if we got behind her and promoted that story, you wouldn't tune in and be a bigger fan of her?," Schaub said.

"You can't write that s***. If I went to a head of the network here, they'd go, 'no-one is going to believe that'.

"It's an amazing story man, that's not being told."

But the fact that Nunes has been left on the periphery of the UFC and isn't the household name of her opponent at UFC207 is a benefit for the Brazilian.

As Rousey has seen past training camps interrupted by outside interests, Nunes will have a single focus.

"A girl like Amanda Nunes doesn't care about being on the cover of Maxim," said Schaub. "She's not flying to islands to be a Sport's Illustrated swimsuit model.

"She's worried about punching a hole through Ronda's face."