Amanda Nunes has a chance in UFC 213 to prove her preeminence in the organization

Since she knows the story, Nina Ansaroff would like to see the UFC promote Amanda Nunes even beyond next week’s placing of the women’s bantamweight champion in her third consecutive main event.

“They could do better … they could help her a little bit,” Ansaroff, a UFC strawweight fighter who is also Nunes’ girlfriend, said. “I know you have to make yourself your own star, but a little push wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

Brazil’s Nunes (14-4) has previously sent former champions Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey on their way to retirement, finishing each in the first round, including a 48-second technical knockout of Rousey in December.

With Conor McGregor gone from the octagon since November as he prepares for his Aug. 26 boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr., there’s an unmistakable opportunity for Nunes to claim her place as the organization’s preeminent fighter.

She’ll defend her belt in Las Vegas on July 8 against Valentina Shevchenko (14-2), the No. 1-rated contender who responded to a March 2016 loss by decision to Nunes with wins over former champion Holly Holm and top contender Julianna Pena.

“I’m happy to be in the main event once again, but I don’t really think about [the rest],” Nunes said Thursday in a UFC 213 promotional stop at the J.W. Marriott hotel at L.A. Live. “To be the best that day … that’s the only thing I think about.”

Though Nunes’ devastating punches certainly have entertainment value, she also stands as the first openly gay combat sports champion and is typically quite engaging in interviews.

“How I know her, she should be what Ronda was, what Conor is,” Ansaroff said. “She’s talented and has an amazing story.”

Nunes, 29, criticized herself for sometimes coming across as terse in interviews because of a language barrier. She routinely conducts interviews in English, but her native tongue is Portuguese.

“People want to know who I really am — the real Amanda — but it’s hard for me sometimes to express myself. … Sometimes people think I’m rude because I might [be short],” Nunes said. “But there might be no other way for me to explain myself better. … I don’t want people to think I’m cocky.”

Ansaroff sought Thursday to fill in some of the blanks about Nunes.

“People can twist and turn her interviews to make her look like the bad guy — because of the language barrier, she has to be to the point — but it’s far from the truth,” Ansaroff said. “She’s one of the sweetest people I know. Time will sort it all out.”

In her time with Nunes, Ansaroff said she’s never seen the champion neglect a fan’s hello or a request for a photo.

“She’s good for the sport, good for the fans and a great role model — a normal person,” Ansaroff said.

“She’s not a blond. She doesn’t wear dresses. But she has an even cooler story. Coming from a small farm in Brazil, she was shy most of her life, hid her sexuality and that played a big part in who she was.

“Ever since she’s been able to talk about it openly, she’s been a happy person. She’s humble, came from simple beginnings, and I think she’s a great champion.”

Shevchenko, 29, said she believes that by opening the rematch more aggressively, she has a better chance to win, also expressing encouragement that Nunes tired in the third round with this title meeting scheduled for five rounds.

“That was not the end of everything,” Shevchenko said. “I know this time it will be a totally different result. … I will fight — striking, grappling, wrestling, everything I have — to take this belt.”

Nunes pronounced herself ready to sell herself the best way she knows how.

“I have to keep improving, keep putting on the show for fans and then they’ll slowly realize, ‘She’s really a champion,’” Nunes said. “I know [that as] the UFC keeps promoting, [fans] will know me and ask, ‘Where’s that girl?’ This is a perfect fight for me.”

lance.pugmire@latimes.com

Twitter: @latimespugmire