After winning the UFC bantamweight title back from Julianna Pena in 2022, Amanda Nunes wasn't ready to let the belt go again. Irene Aldana couldn't take it away from her at UFC 289, the UFC's first event in Canada since 2019.
It turns out, nobody can take the titles away from Nunes except herself.
Following a unanimous decision win, Nunes, with her family in the Octagon, announced her retirement from the sport. She ends her legendary career as a double champion, holding bantamweight and featherweight gold.
"And Still forever! Double champion for life!"@Amanda_Leoa calls it a career at #UFC289 pic.twitter.com/6kdifaFGhw
— UFC (@ufc) June 11, 2023
Nunes controlled the bout from the opening bell. She used her jab to punish and bloody Aldana in Round 1. "The Lioness" further bullied the challenger with body kicks and multiple takedowns throughout the bout. The confidence that was in Aldana’s eyes during fight week vanished. She ended up looking like a deer in the headlights.
Nunes used everything in her arsenal in the opening round, and it was more of the same in Round 2. She spread attacks across Aldana's body. Aldana tried to land leg shots, to no avail. Counter takedowns were Nunes' bread and butter, and elbows that would have taken out many other fighters landed all over Aldana’s face.
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Nunes had a 106-31 edge in significant strikes by Round 4. Aldana managed to land a knee to the gut, but Nunes recovered and smothered Aldana the entire fifth round following a takedown. Unable to get up, Aldana accepted her fate. Nunes walked out with the win and all the glory.
Nunes brought in her partner, Nina Nunes, and their daughter to celebrate the end of her career, which began when she turned pro in 2008. Nunes holds wins over Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, Holly Holm, Cris Cyborg, Germaine de Randamie and others. Nunes leaves with multiple records in the UFC, including:
- Most wins (16) in UFC women's history
- Most finishes (10) in UFC women's history
- Most wins (13) in the UFC's bantamweight division
- Most takedowns (32) in the UFC bantamweight division
- First UFC fighter to hold two titles simultaneously and defend them
Her retirement leaves the door open to various bantamweight contenders, from former champion Julianna Pena to Raquel Pennington.
The co-main event produced plenty of fireworks as Charles Oliveira stopped Beneil Dariush in the first round. Oliveira, the former UFC lightweight champion, landed several head kicks, with one toward the end of the round finally dropping Dariush. The latter looked solid in the beginning, landing vicious elbows on the floor, but once Oliveira got up, it was game over.
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Oliveira has the most finishes in UFC history and is looking to fight for gold again. He may be next in line for lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, who beat him at UFC 280 for the vacant belt. Does he get the rematch, or will that title fight belong to the winner of Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje for the BMF title at UFC 291?
Dariush had his eight-fight win streak snapped.
Canada went 6-0 at the event. Diana Belbita beat Maria Oliveira to open the card. Kyle Nelson defeated Blake Bilder, Aiemann Zahabi knocked out Aoriqileng and Jasmine Jasudavicius impressed against Miranda Maverick in other prelims. On the main card, Marc-Andre Barriault beat Eryk Anders and Mike Malott bullied Adam Fugitt, landing a submission to beat him in the second round.
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The Sporting News provided results from UFC 289.
UFC 289 full card results
Main card
- Amanda Nunes (c) def. Irene Aldana via unanimous decision for the UFC bantamweight title (50-44, 50-44, 50-43).
- Charles Oliveira def. Beneil Dariush via 1st-round TKO (4:10).
- Mike Malott def. Adam Fugitt via 2nd-round guillotine choke submission (1:06).
- Dan Ige def. Nate Landwehr via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).
- Marc-Andre Barriault def. Eryk Anders via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Prelims
- Nassourdine Imavov vs. Chris Curtis ends in a no-contest following a clash of heads in 2nd round (3:04).
- Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Miranda Maverick via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
- Aiemann Zahabi def. Aoriqileng via 1st-round KO (1:04).
- Kyle Nelson def. Blake Bilder via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
Early prelims
- Stephen Erceg def David Dvorak via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 30–27).
- Diana Belbita def. Maria Oliveira via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).