UFC 289 Preview: Amanda Nunes vs. Irene Aldana
On June 10, 2023, the UFC returns to Canada for the first time in four years for UFC 289. The main event of the evening will be a bantamweight women’s championship fight between reigning champion Amanda Nunes and challenger Irene Aldana. The co-main event will feature a lightweight bout between Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush, with the winner likely becoming the next title challenger for champion Islam Makhachev.
The Buildup to Nunes vs. Aldana
Nunes was originally scheduled to fight Julianna Pena for the third time but Pena was forced to withdraw due to a broken rib. Aldana stepped up on short notice to take the fight and will be looking to become the fourth active Mexican-born UFC champion. Though Aldana has significant one-punch power, she has struggled with wrestlers in the past, which could be a weakness Nunes will look to exploit.
Despite Aldana’s power, Nunes is widely considered the favorite in this matchup. Nunes is one of the greatest fighters of all time, with wins over Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, and Holly Holm, among others. Nunes is also coming off of a dominant performance in her last fight against Pena, where she finished the fight in the second round with a rear-naked choke.
Expert Predictions
According to the odds from Caesars Sportsbook, Nunes is a heavy favorite at -320 compared to Aldana’s +250 odds. This is reflected in the expert predictions of the CBS Sports staff, with all five members picking Nunes to win.
Brent Brookhouse sees Nunes as the more well-rounded fighter with more options for attacking Aldana. While Aldana is a dangerous striker, Brookhouse believes Nunes will be able to exploit Aldana’s grappling weaknesses and finish the fight in the second round.
Brian Campbell emphasizes Nunes’ fire and focus, citing her dominant performance against Pena last year as evidence of her continued dominance of the division.
Shakiel Mahjouri has concerns about Oliveira’s mental state coming off a loss and sees Dariush’s superior defense and overall skills as the key to victory in the co-main event.
Michael Mormile and Brandon Wise also pick Nunes to emerge victorious in the main event.
Editorial and Advice
While Aldana is a dangerous striker with significant power and Nunes should beware of getting caught with a single punch, it is difficult to pick against Nunes in this matchup. Nunes is simply on another level compared to most of her competition and has shown the ability to dominate elite fighters. However, Aldana’s emerging talent should not be underestimated, as she is a serious contender who could surprise Nunes and the experts.
In the co-main event, Oliveira and Dariush are both exceptional fighters with well-rounded skills, and this fight could go either way. Oliveira has a significant edge in submissions, while Dariush has better defense and is on a hot streak with eight consecutive wins. The keys to victory for Oliveira will be to use his creativity and quick thinking to turn Dariush’s attacks against him while Dariush will want to rely on his superior defense and counter-striking to win. The fighter who can impose their game plan and pressure their opponent will have the best chance of winning.
Fans of women’s MMA should definitely tune in to UFC 289 and witness a potential historic moment as Aldana looks to become the first Mexican-born UFC women’s bantamweight champion. Going forward, it will be interesting to see who can emerge as the next serious competitor for Nunes in a division that she has completely dominated. Meanwhile, Oliveira vs. Dariush should be a high-level showcase of technical skill and an important precursor to the next challenge for lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
<< photo by Le Minh Phuong >>
