Amanda Nunes has grown accustomed to the loneliness of life at the top. The “Lioness” will defend her undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s bantamweight crown when she faces Irene Aldana in the UFC 289 main event on Saturday at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. Nunes has rattled off 13 victories across her past 14 outings, while Aldana enters the Octagon on the heels of a modest two-fight winning streak.
Nunes’ Impressive Record and Statistics
Born on May 30, 1988, in Pojuca, Brazil, the 35-year-old Nunes has 13 wins by knockout or technical knockout, accounting for 59% of her career total (22). Her list of UFC victims includes Holly Holm, Cristiane Justino, Raquel Pennington, Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler, Germaine de Randamie, and Sheila Gaff. Nunes also owns four other wins by submission (18%) and five more by decision (23%).
Nunes has spent 2,296 days as the UFC women’s bantamweight champion, with her stay atop the division spread across two reigns. She has held the title from July 9, 2016, to Dec. 11, 2021, and again from July 30, 2022, to present. Throughout her professional mixed martial arts career, Nunes has completed 37 rounds and gone the distance on six different occasions, carrying a 5-1 record in those bouts.
Aldana’s Career and Accomplishments
Aldana, also 35, was born in Culiacan, Mexico, on March 26, 1988. She has eight victories by knockout or technical knockout, accounting for 58% of her career total (14). Her list of UFC victims includes Macy Chiasson, Yana Santos, and Ketlen Vieira. Aldana holds three other victories by submission (21%) and three more by decision (21%).
Aldana has landed 773 significant strikes as a UFC women’s bantamweight, placing her second on the promotion’s all-time list at 135 pounds. Only Raquel Pennington has been credited with more (922). Aldana’s fastest finish to date came on Oct. 17, 2012, when she put away Sandra del Rincon with knees and punches in just 15 seconds at a GEX Cage Tournament event. The six opponents who have defeated Aldana—Holm, Pennington, Katlyn Chookagian, Leslie Smith, Tonya Evinger, and Larissa Pacheco—sport a combined record of 99-40-1 and a cumulative winning percentage of .711.