A women’s bantamweight title bout headline the UFC 289 fight card at Rogers Arena in Vancouver pitting two-division champion Amanda Nunes against fifth-ranked Irene Aldana.
Nunes was originally scheduled to face former champion Julianna Peña in a trilogy bout, but Peña pulled out of the match after suffering broken ribs in early May and replaced by Aldana.
Nunes worked a kicking strategy early. She utilized front kicks, leg kicks and kicks to the body. Aldana kept a high guard and was tentative through the first half of the opening round. Aldana connected with a hard right hand with a minute remaining in the round. Nunes had a much higher output in the first.
Nunes pressured Aldana in the second frame. She continued to deliver leg kicks and mix it up with takedown looks and stiff jabs. Aldana responded with a calf kick and circled on the outside. Nunes took Aldana down late in the round and quickly let Aldana up. Through two rounds, it was all Nunes.
Nunes secured a takedown early in the third. Aldana powered to her feet only to be tripped back to the canvas. Again Aldana got to her feet but was taken down for a third time. Aldana scrambled to her feet and landed as Nunes got to hers. Nunes clinched and delivered a knee to the body followed by a right hand. After three frames, Nunes was pitching a shut out.
Aldana motioned to the crowd to rise to their feet before the round. She pressured Nunes. Nunes landed a big elbow as Aldana closed the distance. Nunes looked for a takedown but Aldana shook off the attempt. She stopped a second takedown. Nunes continued to land her jab. A third takedown attempt was successful but Nunes let Aldana back to her feet. Nunes connected with hard shots but Aldana absorbed them. It was a one-sided fight headlining into the final frame.
Aldana’s corner urged her to “go for it” between the round. Nunes secured a takedown early in the round. She worked inside Aldana’s closed guard. She delivered short elbows while Aldana landed from the bottom. Nunes mounted Aldana with two minutes remaining in the fight. Aldana fought to get to half guard but Nunes advanced to the mount again. Nunes postured up and let her hands go in the final seconds to put a cap on a dominant performance.
The judges scorecards reflected how one-sided the fight was. The scorecards read 50–44, 50–44, 50–43. Following the win, Nunes placed both of her belts on the canvas of the octagon and announced her retirement.
“Double champion forever, baby…Tonight is a perfect night to retire and live happy forever,” she said.
Amanda Nunes dominates Irene Aldana and announces retirement
