Amanda Nunes defends title with win over Irene Aldana at UFC 289 and announces retirement
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Updated 14/06/2023 at 13:48 GMT
UFC 289 saw Amanda Nuns defend her bantamweight title, after which the legendary Brazilian announced her retirement from the sport. The 35-year-old Nunes totally dominated Irene Aldana at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver and then said the time had come to walk away from MMA. Also on the card, Charles Oliviera produced a dominant display to stop Beneil Darius.
Amanda Nunes of Brazil announces her retirement after her victory over Irene Aldana of Mexico in their women's bantamweight title fight during the UFC 289 event at Rogers Arena on June 10, 2023 in Vancouver, Canada
Image credit: Getty Images
Amanda Nunes defended her bantamweight title with a dominant victory over Irene Aldana at UFC 289, and then announced her retirement from the sport.
The 35-year-old is widely regarded as the greatest woman MMA fighter of all time, with 23 wins from her 28 fights.
Nunes numbers victories over the likes of Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg and Holly Holm.
Her clash with Aldana was the headline fight at UFC 289, and it was a dominant performance as Nunes defended the title for a sixth time.
Nunes landed 142 strikes to Aldana’s 42, prompting all judges to give her the decision, and after taking the belts she announced her retirement.
“Tonight is the perfect night to retire,” Nunes said, before laying her belts on the floor of the octagon in Vancouver. “My mum has been asking me so much to do this for so long. She can't take it anymore.
"I want to enjoy everything that I have made. I want to travel a bit with my family.
“I left my family in Brazil when I was so young for this dream but I never thought in my mind I would become a champion. But when I became a champion it was unbelievable.
“I'm from a small city in Brazil, no-one knows where it is, but I came here and I made it as a champion. Now I'm leaving. Thank you.”
Also on the card, Charles Oliveira produced a dominant display to stop Beneil Dariush in the opening round, and immediately demanded a shot at the lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
'You want me to fight him in his house? I'll go. I'm ready,” Oliveira said.
UFC president Dana White suggested the clash would likely be made, as he said “it makes a lot of sense.”
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