Tag: Amanda Nunes

UFC 289 ‘Embedded,’ No. 1: Irene Aldana winds down fight camp with champ Alexa Grasso

The “Embedded” fight-week video series is back to document what’s happening behind the scenes at UFC 289 in Vancouver, Canada.

The UFC is back with its seventh pay-per-view of the year, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 289 takes place Saturday at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.

In the main event, women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 15-2 UFC) takes on Mexico’s [autotag]Irene Aldana[/autotag] (14-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC), who gets her first shot at UFC gold.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Beneil Dariush [/autotag] (22-4-1 MMA, 16-4-1 UFC) looks to secure his shot at the title as he faces former champion [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] (33-9 MMA, 21-9 UFC) in a big lightweight matchup.

The first episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight night. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Charles Oliveira wraps up camp in Sao Paulo; Beneil Dariush does the same in LA. Champ-champ Amanda Nunes cools down and breaks news. Irene Aldana unwinds with a massage and trains with champ Alexa Grasso.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 289.

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Spinning Back Clique: Tyson Fury vs. Jon Jones in UFC?, Conor McGregor’s uncertain future, more

Watch this week’s “Spinning Back Clique” reacting to Dana White’s grim update on Conor McGregor and much more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. This week’s panel of Mike Bohn, Danny Segura and Farah Hannoun will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:

  • For weeks we’ve asked the question, “Will you tune in to ‘The Ultimate Fighter 31’? Well, the premiere episode featuring coaches [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] aired last Tuesday on ESPN. What did you think? And will you be tuning in for the entire season?
  • Focusing only on the biggest star in our sport, McGregor’s future remains unclear despite the expectation of a traditional ‘TUF’ coaches fight with Chandler. That much became clear this past Saturday when UFC president Dana White offered a grim update on getting the fight finalized. White’s assessment came on the heels of a Megan Olivi interview with McGregor in which he said he’s aiming to make “the greatest return in combat sports.” Are you buyng or selling? And if McGregor never fought in the UFC again, how would you feel about it?
  • Let’s talk about [autotag]Tyson Fury[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] in the UFC. Wait what? It’s a fight that White, who’s said before that he’s against “gimmicky-type fights,” is pushing for as he doubled down on his offer to Fury this past Saturday. Why is White suddenly into hyping up a fight between Fury and Jones, and is he serious about this?
  • The UFC on ESPN 45 headliner between [autotag]Kai Kara-France[/autotag] and [autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag] was a solid fight that ended in controversy, with Albazi winning a close split decision despite a vast majority of media outlets (19-2) scoring it for Kara-France, who has claimed robbery. What did you think of the scores?
  • UFC 289 is top heavy, with just main and co-main events that stand out from the card. [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] returns to defend her women’s bantamweight title against [autotag]Irene Aldana[/autotag], while former champ [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] and streaking contender [autotag]Beneil Dariush[/autotag] compete in a pivotal lightweight bout. We preview both fights ahead of Saturday night’s event in Vancouver.

Video: UFC 289 ‘Countdown’ for Amanda Nunes vs. Irene Aldana

Get a special preview of the UFC 289 main event between Amanda Nunes and Irene Aldana in this segment from “Countdown.”

Did you miss the debut of UFC 289 “Countdown” or just want to watch it again? Check out the main event preview now.

The segment takes a special look at the women’s bantamweight title fight between Brazilian champion [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 15-2 UFC) and Mexican challenger [autotag]Irene Aldana[/autotag] (14-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC).

UFC 289 takes place Saturday at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.

“Countdown” goes behind the scenes with the two fighters, and you can watch the full segment above. And don’t miss the entire episode in the video below.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 289.

UFC free fight: Amanda Nunes edges Valentina Shevchenko in closely contested rematch

Watch Amanda Nunes defend her UFC women’s bantamweight title in the rematch with Valentina Shevchenko back at UFC 215 in 2017.

Some of [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag]’s toughest fights have come against fellow great [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag].

Nunes, the UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion, had to fight Shevchenko twice – the first en route to the UFC belt and the second as champion. Perhaps the most debated win came in the second meeting back at UFC 215 in 2017. That night, Nunes defended her belt by defeating Shevchenko in a close split decision. It was a competitive fight that still causes debate.

You can watch the rematch between Nunes and Shevchenko in the video above.

Nunes is gearing up for a title defense for her 135-pound title. She takes on Mexico’s Irene Aldana in the main event of UFC 289 on June 10 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 289.

Amanda Nunes admits she contemplated retirement after upset loss to Julianna Peña

Amanda Nunes thought she was done after her shocking defeat to Julianna Peña at UFC 269.

[autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] thought she was done after her shocking defeat to [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] at UFC 269.

Nunes (22-5 MMA, 15-2 UFC) lost her bantamweight title to Peña (11-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) by submission in December 2021 in what is considered one of the biggest upsets in the promotion’s history.

It was a tough pill to swallow for the UFC dual champion, who admitted she thought about retirement in the immediate aftermath.

“I was very confused,” Nunes told ESPN. “Losing my belt was crazy. But at the same time, I know I was sad. Something was wrong. Something wasn’t right. And that’s why it looked, like, not real for me. And then when actually I saw Din (Thomas), right in the arena outside, and I gave him a hug, I looked at him and I said, ‘I think I’m done.’ And we looked at each other, and he looked: ‘Are you sure? OK, call me later. Talk to me later.'”

But Nunes said it didn’t take long for her to snap out of that thought – especially when thinking whom she lost the belt to.

“I drove back home, and I was putting my thoughts together, – everything: what I went through, going through that camp, everything that I was upset about – and I was sad too, a couple moments in the camp,” Nunes said.

“When I put everything together and me and (my wife) Nina were talking, I said, ‘I cannot leave my belt with Julianna. It can be (anybody) else but her. I cannot leave my belt with that girl. She’s not deserving of that belt. She didn’t do anything to really deserve to hold that belt.'”

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Nunes regained the title from Peña in their rematch at UFC 277 with a lopsided decision win. The pair was booked for a trilogy bout at UFC 289 on June 10 in Vancouver, but Peña was replaced by Irene Aldana (14-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) after she pulled out due to broken ribs.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 289.

Video: Amanda Nunes breezes back to bantamweight belt at UFC 277

Watch UFC 289 headliner Amanda Nunes recapture the women’s bantamweight title with a dominant showing against Julianna Peña at UFC 277.

[autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] thought she had a trilogy on her hands until a few weeks ago.

Nunes was set to defend her women’s bantamweight title in a rematch with Julianna Peña at UFC 289 next month until Peña pulled out with an injury. Instead, Irene Aldana (14-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) will step in to challenge Nunes (22-5 MMA, 15-2 UFC) for the 135-pound belt in the June 10 main event at Rogers Center in Vancouver.

Nunes was stunned by Peña with a second-round submission in their first fight at UFC 269 in December 2021. It is regarded as one of the biggest upsets in MMA history. But Nunes, also the UFC’s women’s featherweight champion, avenged that loss in a big way when she dominated Peña to recapture the title at UFC 277.

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In Dallas in July 2022, Nunes delivered a shutout on the scorecards to take the bantamweight title back from Peña with scores of 50-43, 50-44 and 50-45.

Ahead of Nunes’ first title defense in her second bantamweight reign, check out how she beat Peña in their second meeting in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 289.

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Amanda Nunes def. Julianna Peña at UFC 277: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Amanda Nunes’ unanimous decision win over Julianna Peña at UFC 277 in Dallas.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag]’ unanimous decision win over [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] at UFC 277 at American Airlines Center in Dallas. (Photos by Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports and Getty Images)

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UFC betting odds: Champions enter summer title fights as sizable favorites

According to the latest betting odds, there aren’t any UFC title changes expected across multiple events this summer.

The UFC’s summer schedule is essentially laid out at this point, with a number of championship fights confirmed between the start of June and end of August.

A total of six title bouts are currently on the books, but according to the latest betting odds courtesy of FanDuel, there aren’t expected to a be a whole lot of surprises stemming from the results.

Odds still haven’t been released for a pair of title fights, but you can check below to see where the numbers stand for title bouts at UFC 289, UFC 290, UFC 291 and UFC 292.

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Analyst: ‘Massive force’ Irene Aldana will upset champ Amanda Nunes at UFC 289

UFC Hall of Famer and analyst Rashad Evans expects a third title change at women’s bantamweight over the past three fights at UFC 289.

UFC Hall of Famer and analyst [autotag]Rashad Evans[/autotag] expects a third title change in the women’s bantamweight division over the past three fights at UFC 289.

With [autotag]Irene Aldana[/autotag] set to challenge [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] for 135-pound gold in the main event of the June 10 pay-per-view at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Evans is predicting another title change, with the underdog challenger taking out the champion.

“I’ve got to go with Aldana,” Evans said during a recent UFC post-fight show on ESPN+. “Mexico’s on the surge, but Aldana, she’s such a massive force. She seems so big in there and that left hook, oh my God. Absolutely she catches her (on the feet).”

Nunes (22-5 MMA, 15-2 UFC) will attempt to make the first defense of her second women’s bantamweight title reign against Aldana (14-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) at UFC 289. After losing the belt to Julianna Peña in a shocking upset at UFC 269 in December 2021, Nunes reclaimed gold in one-sided fashion at UFC 277 in July.

She’ll try to reassert her dominance over the division against Aldana, who has won four of hr past five fights and is riding the momentum of Mexican UFC title success, with teammate Alexa Grasso and countrymen Brandon Moreno and Yair Rodriguez holding pieces of belts.

“The energy there is just on another level so you kind of start to level up to everyone around you,” Evans said. “And I feel like that’s where Aldana is.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 289.