LAS VEGAS _ Amanda Nunes delivered all the answers to Ronda Rousey while stopping her by technical knockout in 48 seconds, and when the subject turned afterward to Rousey's fighting future, Nunes was assertive again.
"That's it for her. For sure, she's going to retire," Nunes said during her post-fight news conference late Friday night at T-Mobile Arena. "She can't take anymore."
Nunes (14-4) not only pelted Rousey with punches before referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight as Rousey fell backward from a four-punch combination, the UFC bantamweight champion proceeded to confront Rousey's coach Edmond Tarverdyan.
"He thinks she's a boxer. He's put that in her head. I don't know why he did that," Nunes said of the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in judo who repeatedly submitted foes by first-round armbars until trying to stand and strike against former pro boxing champion Holly Holm in a punishing November 2015 loss that preceded Nunes' beating.
"She had great judo. She could do more in this division, but (Tarverdyan's) done this crazy (strategy) with boxing and it's had her go down," Nunes said.
An audio recording of Tarverdyan's panicked instruction during the bout emerged by Saturday morning, casting more doubt over his future should Rousey decide to continue in the UFC.
"What she does (with Tarverdyan) is up to her," UFC President Dana White said after meeting with Rousey for 40 minutes in her dressing room after the loss.
White characterized Rousey's post-defeat mood as "down, but not as down as the Holm loss," and he added, "I think (Rousey) will" return to fight.
Rousey left the arena Friday night without speaking to reporters.
But she issued a statement Saturday to ESPN, which said, "Returning to not just fighting, but winning, was my entire focus this past year. However, sometimes _ even when you prepare and give everything you have and want something so badly _ it doesn't work how you planned. I take pride in seeing how far the women's division has come in the UFC and commend all the other women who have been part of making this possible, including Amanda.
"I need to take some time to reflect and think about the future."
Rousey more closely resembled a shot fighter than the once-dominant first UFC female champion whose skills and personality convinced White to create a women's division.
There remains a viable path for Rousey to remain fighting, considering the potential of Holm winning the newly created featherweight belt on Feb. 11, and Rousey moving up to the more comfortable weight for a rematch _ perhaps with a new trainer in the corner.
And should featherweight Cris "Cyborg" Justino avoid less than a yearlong suspension because of her recent positive test for a diuretic, she too could be intriguing.
White sought to soothe the effect of the destructive loss on Rousey's reputation by heaping praise on Nunes, whose July first-round stoppage of badly bloodied Miesha Tate via 40 punches and a chokehold submission paved Tate's way to retirement.
"Miesha Tate told me, '(Nunes) hits so hard ... there's no way I would've tapped out in that fight, but I was so hurt by those hits,'" White said. "She retired Miesha."
And Rousey? White thought about it and showed how unclear Rousey's future is by replying, "Yeah, maybe."
Nunes expressed pride in how her training in Florida alongside women's straw-weight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk and other respected fighters has sparked improved striking.
"I know nobody can take my punches," she said. "When I started connecting with punches, I knew she appreciated (my power). I saw it from the first punch. I wait for the right moment to connect my punches and the girls can't take it."
She wasn't bothered by the fact Rousey collected a guaranteed $3 million purse while Nunes won just $200,000 guaranteed, explaining she'll receive a cut of pay-per-view sales.
"I think I'm going to get a lot of money," Nunes said. "I'll find out next week, but ... it's good. I'll buy a home, get my mom a house, get some presents, help the people who've helped my career since I was 19 years old."
Nunes will likely next meet the Jan. 28 winner of Julianna Pena versus No. 2 ranked Valentina Shevchenko, whom Nunes defeated by decision in March.
While Rousey's next step is unknown, Nunes sought her out in the octagon after the stoppage and said, "You did a lot for the sport. Thank you so much. But now you can take time, rest and maybe do something else."
In the news conference, Nunes said, "Why should she keep doing that, keep hurting herself? She should retire."
Rousey could also take a lesson from former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz of San Diego after he showed for his post-fight news conference and took full account of his unanimous-decision loss to new champion Cody Garbrandt.
The loss was Cruz's first since March 2007.
"Loss is part of life," Cruz said. "All I can say is I lost and I'll take my loss as a man."
Cruz (22-2) credited Garbrandt (11-0) for performing better with his punching range.
"He believes in power ... he sat, he waited in the middle and he said, 'Come to me,'" Cruz said. "I could've pulled back and the fight would've been more stagnant. Who the hell wants to watch that?"
Garbrandt showed respect, saying he'd rather grant the longtime champion a rematch next instead of No. 1-ranked contender and former champion T.J. Dillashaw.
Cruz sought to dismantle Garbrandt psychologically before the fight, but Garbrandt answered with multiple knockdowns and even found time to shoot back some verbal blows as the bout transpired, cutting Cruz above the left eye with a third-round kick.
"He's a good talker. I barely graduated high school," Garbrandt said. "He had blood spilling down his face and I asked him, 'You having fun yet?' and he didn't answer me. I knew right there that was my fight."
