Double-champion Amanda Nunes made an easy defense of her bantamweight title against Irene Aldana tonight at UFC 289 and then announced that she is going to retire from the sport.
Round One:
The women’s bantamweight title headliner is underway in Vancouver.
Lunging body punch from Nunes. Now a fast kick to the body and one to the calf too. Another front kick to the body from the champ.
Aldana swatting at the air but not finding the mark so far. Nunes with another front kick to the body.
Now Nunes swoops in on a takedown and lands it easily, but then ups to not even go to the mat, backing back up to striking range.
Jab for Nunes and then another front kick to the midsection. Jab for Nunes, but catches a counter from Aldana.
Kick to the body again for Nunes. Now she lands to the calf on the inside. Spinning body kick just grazed the target. Aldana still very cautious for now.
Another lunging body jab from Nunes. Now she lands a nice uppercut. Finally Aldana throws a solid punch. Nunes steps in with a flurry, but Aldana lands a strong counter hook that backs her off. Good moment for Aldana that was much needed and Nunes is a bit more cautious afterwards.
Nunes takes a little time and then lands a punch and low kick that’s checked. They are looking to exchange again as the round ends.
Round Two:
Low kick for Aldana. Nice crisp jab for Nunes. Nunes with an oblique kick. Nunes reaches for a single-leg, but doesn’t commit to it.
Nice calf kick from Aldana. Right hand for Nunes. Jab from Nunes has been working well. Leg kicks from Nunes.
Leg kick for Aldana. Nunes feints on a takedown that Aldana bit hard on. Leg kick for Nunes. Now back to the jab.
Nunes steps into an elbow. Nunes goes for a takedown and knocks Aldana off-balance, but doesn’t follow her to the mat again.
Aldana misses on a committed jab and Nunes counters with a hook. Nunes goes to the leg again. Now into the clinch for a moment to land a hard knee.
Calf kick for Aldana. She gets a right hand through but still overly cautious for the most part.
Left hand to the body and then a right from Nunes. Front kick to the body and a right hand for the champ.
Nunes threatens with an uppercut and then another punch behind it. Aldana comes close with a head kick attempt that Nunes avoids and then goes in to land a takedown and goes to the mat this time.
They are almost straight back up though and end the round back on the feet.
Round Three:
Punches and a front kick to the body from Nunes. More intensity from Nunes now as she presses forward again letting her strikes go. Aldana still just hiding behind the high guard though and not really stepping up her tempo or output.
Lengthy jab from Aldana. Nunes just playing off the jab here. Leg kick for Aldana. She attempts a head kick that misses.
Nunes working for the takedown and partially gets her down, then seals it at the second attempt. Now she opts to stay down, working from half-guard. Aldana trying to fend her off with her legs, but Nunes stays on top.
Elbow for Nunes. Aldana scrambles to her knees and tries to get back up, but Nunes brings her right back down.
Aldana back up again and Nunes quickly clinches up, trips her to the mat and now has her back as Aldana turtles up. Nunes too high though as she tries to work an armbar and then slips off. Aldana looking to land strikes as they stand, but Nunes is quickly up and firing back with harder punches.
Aldana lands a punch, but then Nunes blasts her with a series of blows to end the round.
Round Four:
Aldana’s coaches urging her to give more after a disappointing three rounds from her so far.
Aldana swings the right hand but comes up short. She lands a leg kick kick and Nunes lands one in return.
Now another leg kick from Aldana. Jab for Nunes. Big elbow and a punch behind it from Nunes.
Two jabs get through from Nunes. She lands it again as Aldana is bleeding from her nose.
At least Aldana is actually trying to put up a fight of it now. Nunes into the clinch looking for a possible takedown, but Aldana shrugs her off.
Back to the jab for Nunes. She lands it several times and then easily lands another takedown. As she did earlier in the fight Nunes opts to back off and Aldana gets back up.
Nunes tries for another takedown and doesn’t get it this time. Nunes bides her time and then lands a powerful right hand and then another blow.
Another big right hand for Nunes and Aldana’s face is increasingly reddened and bloody. Hard punch for Nunes again. A couple more hard punches and a knee upstairs to follow, but Aldana takes it.
10 seconds to go and another hard punch. Now a spinning backfist as the round draws to a close.
Round Five:
Aldana swings hard but misses. One-two for Nunes. She reaches for a takedown, doesn’t get it immediately but then works a trip to bring her down.
Nunes tries to pass guard but then settles into Aldana’s full-guard. Aldana trying to land a couple of punches from her back.
A couple of solid right hooks from Nunes. Now a short elbow. Nunes passes to half-guard and then straight into mount.
Nunes with continual punches to the body while staying tight to Aldana. Nunes looking to posture up and almost attempts to take her opponent’s back, but then is brought back to half-guard.
Nunes punching to the body. Almost back into mount, but remains in half-guard. She blasts punches to the body and then one to the head. Final seconds and Nunes lands a few punches to the head.
Decision:
Dominant performance from Nunes without ever really having the shift up the gears too much due to Aldana not really showing up in the biggest fight of her career. Nunes wins by unanimous decision (50-44 x2, 50-43).
After the fight the 36-year-old Nunes announces to the fans that she’s decided to retire from the sport, and there’s no doubt the double-champion will go down as the greatest female fighter of all-time.
