Two of the top women fighters in bantamweight history will throw down on Saturday, June 10, as reigning champion Amanda Nunes battles fifth-ranked Irene Aldana in the main event at UFC 289 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada.
Nunes (22-5-0) returns to the Octagon for the first time in nearly a year after defeating Julianna Pena at UFC 277 in July to reclaim the bantamweight belt. The pair was set for a third confrontation before Pena withdrew because of an injury.
Aldana is seeking to become the fourth Mexican fighter to win a UFC title this year. A powerful striker and knockout artist, the red-hot challenger has dominated her last three opponents.
WynnBet sportsbook has the champion Amanda Nunes (-305) a big favorite to retain the bantamweight strap against No. 5 ranked Irene Aldana. Both fighters possess above-average striking skills and knockout power, but Nunes is the superior grappler. Aldana is a talented fighter with a ferocious left hook that makes her a legit threat to dethrone Nunes.
Amanda Nunes is a well-rounded fighter with an array of striking and grappling skills. She is a notoriously fast starter, with nine of her 10 finishes since debuting in the UFC in 2013 coming in the opening round. The Brazilian posted the fifth fastest knockout in bantamweight history with a 48-second beatdown win over Ronda Rousey and knocked out former featherweight champion Cris Cyborg in 51 seconds to become a rare UFC two-division titleholder.
Irene Aldana also boasts one-punch knockout power and is an accomplished grappler. However, the Mexican challenger prefers boxing and has finished her past two opponents in a dominant fashion. Aldana floored Yana Santos at UFC 264 with a devastating left hook before unleashing a barrage of punches on the mat to end the fight. She claimed an impressive upkick knockout victory over Macy Chiasson at UFC 279 to cement her status as a rising star.
Nunes is one of the most powerful women's strikers in bantamweight history and lands 51.8 percent of her punches. Nicknamed "The Lioness," she records 4.40 significant strikes landed per minute while averaging .67 knockdowns per 15 minutes. Nunes has a 2.61 takedown average per 15-minute fight, a takedown accuracy of 56 percent, and defends against takedowns 82% of the time.
Nunes proved in her rematch against Julianna Pena at UFC 277 that if she cannot end the fight with a knockout, she can finish her opponent on the mat. The reigning champion defends 57.7 percent of significant strikes thrown her way and absorbs only 2.75 significant strikes per minute because of her stellar footwork. Her 2.68 takedowns per 15-minute average are one of the top marks in the history of the bantamweight division.
Aldana is also one of the divisions' premier strikers, landing 5.61 significant strikes per minute despite connecting on just 39.8 percent of strikes thrown. She is fourth all-time in 135-pound history with 5.61 significant strikes landed per minute, and her 773 significant strikes over 11 UFC career fights is the second most all-time in bantamweight history.
The 35-year-old will look to keep the fight upright and off the mat. She has defended 84.4 percent of takedowns attempted against her and has the third-highest rate in bantamweight history with 38 of 45 career stops. Her strong takedown defense, combined with an arsenal of heavy strikes, is why she is ranked #4 in the history of UFC women's bantamweight fighters.
Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion "Suga" Rashad Evans believes the underdog will pull off the upset. "I've got to go with Aldana," Evans said recently during a 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."
This should be an exciting showdown with two of the top strikers in women's bantamweight history. Nunes is the heavy favorite, but Aldana is a capable challenger who is oozing with confidence. Perhaps it's not smart betting against Nunes, but I like Aldana to shock the world and become the new bantamweight champion.
Betting Pick: Irene Aldana
The betting odds for the bantamweight title fight are live on most sportsbooks, including popular bookmaker BetMGM, which has listed Nunes as a -350 favorite.
If you back Nunes to win the fight, you'd need to bet $350 on Nunes to win $100. But if you favor Aldana, a +275 underdog, to pull off the upset, a $100 bet would net you $325.
Over/Under is another popular bet type. The Over/Under is for the number of rounds the fight will last. Thus, you're making a wager regarding how long the bout will last. If you bet the bout will last Under 2.5 rounds, the fight must end before the halfway point of the third round. You win the bet if the contest ends in Round 1, Round 2, or before the clock ticks below 2:30 in the third round.
The main event of UFC 289 will take place on Saturday, June 10, at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada. Mixed Martial Arts enthusiasts in New York can watch the fight on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
Bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes is a -305 betting favorite, while fifth-ranked Irene Aldana is the +240 underdog, per WynnBet. At BetRivers, Nunes is a -375 betting favorite, while Aldana is the +275 underdog.
Top-ranked Charles Oliveira will square off against fourth-ranked Beneil Dariush in an exciting lightweight showdown, while Mike Malott and Adam Fugitt will tangle in a welterweight matchup. Other fights on the undercard have #13 Dan Ige facing Nate Landwehr in a featherweight bout and a middleweight matchup pitting Eryk Anders against Marc-Andre Barriault.
UFC betting fans can place bets during the fight with live UFC odds that are constantly changing based on what's happening in real-time inside the Octagon. The most popular types of in-play wagers offered include moneyline bets on the predicted winner, the method of victory, and the duration of the fight.
WynnBet, BetMGM and BetRivers are amongst nine well-known and trusted sportsbooks in New York that UFC fans can place wagers on this bantamweight title fight. Each sportsbook has its own strengths. Read all about the best UFC betting sites.
