Holly Holm is no stranger to a massive upset, but she just doesn’t see Amanda Nunes getting dethroned at UFC 259.
Two-division champion Nunes (20-4 MMA, 13-1 UFC) puts her featherweight title on the line against Megan Anderson in the co-main event March 6 and will be a massive betting favorite heading into the fight.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Holm (14-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) has faced both Nunes and Anderson (11-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) inside the octagon, and says Nunes will retain her title in Las Vegas. But Holm, who scored a huge upset of her own to dethrone Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 in November 2015, warned against counting out Anderson, who she says has a “puncher’s chance” of scoring an upset.
“I truly feel Amanda is going to win this fight, but I’m always that person that thinks everybody has a puncher’s chance,” Holm told MMA Junkie. “Amanda I don’t really believe has fought anybody quite as tall as Megan – Megan is very, very tall. She’s the tallest person I ever fought. But even for me, being my size against Megan, I still felt stronger in the clinch. I still felt things like that. Megan has improved since I fought her, too, so you never know what you’re going to see. But I do feel that Amanda is going to win the fight. But that doesn’t mean that I just count everybody out.
“I’m excited to watch the fight. I think that, if Megan wins, I’m going to say it would be off of a – I don’t want to say a lucky punch, because when you’re training at this level I don’t think anything is lucky – but I just don’t see her dominating Amanda in any situation or beating her in a lot of these areas. But I’m not saying there’s a zero chance. There’s always a chance that somebody can win – always. I don’t care who you are.”
Since losing to Holm at UFC 225 in June 2018, Anderson has won three of her past four and is coming off back-to-back finishes of Zarah Fairn and Norma Dumont. The Glory MMA fighter’s power was on full display in February when her first-round knockout of Dumont earned “Performance of the Night” honors.
While Holm doesn’t think the champion has faced a frame like Anderson’s, she’s confident Nunes has the skills to adapt when necessary during the fight.
“I truly feel that Amanda is going to win the fight,” Holm said. “But things that might give her a different challenge than some of the other girls is that Megan’s reach is long. Her legs are long. She’s kind of got a different style. I just don’t think it’s going to be too much of a problem. I think Amanda will be able to adjust to that and still be able to perform what she wants. But anything can happen.”
UFC 259 takes place March 6 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Holly Holm expects victory for Amanda Nunes at UFC 259, but won’t rule out Megan Anderson