When Is Amanda Nunes Fighting Next
With another night of action in the rearview mirror at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker for UFC 259‘s key winning and losing fighters outside the main event.
Amanda Nunes is the ONLY woman to beat Valentina Shevchenko in the last 10 years. And now the UFC flyweight champ tells TMZ Sports a 3rd fight with the Lioness is 100% goin' down!! As of January 2021, Amanda Nunes’s pro record is 20-4-0, with 13 of those wins coming by knockout, 3 by submission, and the rest by a decision. Nunes has fought in over 24 professional MMA bouts, and her last fight was 7 months ago against Felicia Spencer at UFC 250: Nunes vs. The fight was on Saturday, June 6, 2020.
Dominick Cruz
Jose Aldo
Should fight: Jose Aldo
Why they should fight: Former UFC and WEC champ Dominick Cruz got his hand raised for the first time since UFC 199 in June 2016 when he edged out Casey Kenney by split decision in a competitive fight.
Cruz showed a lot of the tools in his game that made him such an effective bantamweight for so long. There may be a slight drop-off to what he once was, but if he can stay healthy and active, there’s no reason to think “The Dominator” doesn’t belong fighting at the highest level.
A matchup will fellow ex-UFC and WEC featherweight titleholder Aldo (29-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) fits the bill. It’s something we could only dream of years ago when they were ruling over their respective weight classes, but now that Aldo has seemingly committed to the 135-pound division long term, the timing is right.
Aldo is fresh off beating Marlon Vera in a similar surging contender vs. legend matchup as we just saw with Cruz and Kenney. Since they both overcame the challenges, it’s a good time to pair them up, but you never know when the chance could slip away for good.
Aleksandar Rakic
Magomed Ankalaev
Should fight: Magomed Ankalaev
Why they should fight: Aleksandar Rakic thinks he deserves a light heavyweight title shot after beating Thiago Santos by unanimous decision in an important fight for the weight class. Unfortunately for him, the nature of his performance and timing appear to be two enemies.
Jan Blachowicz defending the title in the UFC 259 main event was a good thing for all the existing contenders. The champ said he wants a roughly six-month layoff before getting back in the octagon, at which point he’s expected to put the belt on the line against Glover Teixeira. It remains to be seen how long the winner of that fight could take to turn around, which means Rakic could be looking at minimum of nine months off if he’s adamant about waiting.
It’s also possible that Jiri Prochazka could slide past him in the queue if he beats Dominick Reyes in their main event May 1, especially if it’s exciting.
Rakic’s past two wins against Santos and Anthony Smith have been unspectacular, and he might need one more to prove his point. In terms of which is available, surging contender Ankalaev (15-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) might be the best fit.
Yes, Ankalaev would be a step down for Rakic in the rankings, but if he could snatch the Russian’s winning streak, he would have a near-bulletproof argument to challenge for the strap.
Islam Makhachev
What's Next For Amanda Nunes
Rafael dos Anjos
Should fight: Rafael dos Anjos
Why they should fight: The post-fight callout from Islam Makhachev directed toward Tony Ferguson was perfect. He said he wants to do it on behalf of his friend Khabib Nurmagomedov since that fight never materialized, which is all good stuff from his perspective. Is it going to happen, though? It feels unlikely.
Makhachev (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) submitted Drew Dober in the third round of their lightweight bout to extend his UFC winning streak to seven consecutive fights. All respect to him for aiming high for a name like Ferguson, but it makes little sense for “El Cucuy” to take that one right now unless he wants to put himself at serious risk of a third consecutive loss.
That doesn’t mean hope is lost for Makhachev in terms of a high-profile fight, though. And he should be looking to reschedule a bout with former UFC champ dos Anjos (31-13 MMA, 19-11 UFC) after their matchup was scratched twice in 2020.
Dos Anjos is coming off a victory over Paul Felder in his return to 155 pounds in November, and given his history of taking any fight the UFC puts in front of him, he’d likely sign on the dotted line for Makhachev a third time.
Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan
Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling
Should fight: Each other
Why they should fight: This one is a no-brainer.
Petr Yan became the first fighter in UFC history to lose to a title by disqualification when he landed an illegal knee on Aljamain Sterling in the fourth round of their bantamweight championship contest. Regardless of any opinions to the contrary, the right decision was made in the moment by all involved. The only option now is a rematch.
UFC president Dana White has already said he wants to book Sterling (20-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) vs. Yan (15-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) again as soon as possible, and both men appear all in on it, too. Now it’s just a matter of waiting for Sterling to recover from whatever head trauma he endured from the strike before a date is finalized.
Megan Anderson
Cris Cyborg
Should fight: A Bellator featherweight
Why they should fight: This is not a “you’re not good enough to be in the UFC, go to Bellator” type of argument for Megan Anderson after she got washed out in her first UFC title opportunity. It’s more about it being a better fit at this stage of her career.
UFC 259 marked the final fight on Anderson’s UFC contract. She didn’t finalize a new deal before challenging Amanda Nunes for the belt, which could mean she either bet big on herself believing in an upset, or the UFC brass forecasted this result and thought her value wouldn’t be there beyond this fight.
With a record six appearances in the women’s featherweight division, Anderson (11-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) has fought everyone and done about everything she can to stay afloat in the UFC’s most neglected weight class. It’s been a frustrating burden for her, and now she can free herself of it.
Bellator, as we know, has shown far greater commitment to its 145-pound division. Anderson would have multiple fresh matchups waiting for her in Bellator, and champ Cris Cyborg is a fight that eluded her in the UFC. At this stage, it just seems like the better fit.
Amanda Nunes
Julianna Pena
Should fight: Julianna Pena
Why they should fight: The epic run of Amanda Nunes went through Anderson with ease as she recorded her second title defense of the women’s featherweight belt, becoming the first in UFC history to now have multiple title defenses in two divisions.
Unless a radical shift occurs, there’s no one out there who can prove to be a challenge to the women’s MMA GOAT. It’s best to just keep feeding Nunes (21-4 MMA, 14-1 UFC) fights and sit back and witness greatness as it’s happening in real time, but the problem is, we’re starting to run out of fights.
UFC boss White said post-fight at UFC 259 that, due to the quickness of Nunes’ first-round submission win over Anderson, he’s looking to turn “The Lioness” around in short order with a defense of her women’s bantamweight title. And he hinted Pena (10-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) as the probable opponent.
Pena is one of the few highly ranked names who has yet to share the octagon with Nunes. “The Ultimate Fighter 18” winner was supposed to face Holly Holm on May 8 in a potential title eliminator, but Holm suffered an injury and pulled out. That may have been the best scenario for Pena, because she could be moved right into the title shot.
Is there anything that leads us to believe Pena could pose any type of real threat to Nunes? Not currently, but that’s the position we’re in with Nunes’ level of dominance.
UFC 259 featured some of the expected and some of the unexpected. Jan Blachowicz used his superior grappling in defeating Israel Adesanya to retain the light heavyweight title, and Amanda Nunes submitted Megan Anderson to retain her role as champ-champ. Some could have predicted those outcomes, and maybe some would've figured Aljamain Sterling to win as well, but its how Sterling became champion that was a moment to remember on Saturday night. Petr Yan hit Sterling with an illegal knee, causing a disqualification and crowning a new champion at 135 pounds.
Before the three championship fights, the talk was all about Islam Makhachev, who dominated Drew Dober for two rounds before submitting him in the third, and Dominick Cruz, who earned his first UFC victory since 2016.
What's ahead for the champions and the standouts at UFC 259? The UFC has a few intriguing matchmaking options.
Jan Blachowicz, light heavyweight (defeated Israel Adesanya by unanimous decision)
Who should be next: Glover Teixeira
Really, this is the only correct answer here. There were some who were actually upset that Blachowicz's fight on Saturday was against Adesanya and not Teixeira, as Teixeira has done so much to earn the spot (five consecutive wins, including four finishes). I think that anger was a little misdirected -- Adesanya had also earned a right to chase history -- but I love the fact fans are in favor of this fight.
This fight would not be the most attractive matchup from a marketing sense. Teixeira is 41, and doesn't offer a ton of mystique as a title challenger, and a matchup between Blachowicz and Teixeira will be completely void of any type of trash talk. However, that shouldn't override the fact Teixeira has done more than anyone in the division to earn this spot, and it should go to him next.
After beating Adesanya, Blachowicz agreed that Teixeira deserved the next title shot.
Wild card: Jiri Prochazka. The only reason I'm even including Prochazka here is (A) ESPN likes me to pick a wild card and (B) I know how high the UFC is on him.
If he looks great against a former title challenger in Dominick Reyes in May, and for whatever reason, Teixeira is unavailable, he would be the most likely option. But the real answer here is Teixeira all the way.
Israel Adesanya, light heavyweight/middleweight (lost to Blachowicz by unanimous decision)
Who should be next: Robert Whittaker, if Whittaker defeats Paulo Costa on April 17
This is not the first time I've campaigned to see Whittaker get a title shot. I thought he did enough in 2020 to warrant the opportunity, although I understand why Adesanya wanted to chase a second belt instead. But Whittaker, in my mind, is already the rightful No. 1 contender. He's just waiting on the champ to return.
You have to respect the fact Whittaker is willing to take another fight -- a very tough fight -- while he waits, with no interim title attached to it. Had Whittaker said, 'You know what, I'm going to enjoy the first half of 2021 and take my well-earned title shot in the summer,' no one could have blamed him. If he goes out and beats Costa in April, you have to give him the opportunity to reclaim his belt against Adesanya next.
Wild card: Winner of Darren Till vs. Marvin Vettori on April 10
Even though he's not a champ-champ, Adesanya is still a star -- so, he has some sway in who he fights next. And he has made no secret that at middleweight, the name that interests him most is Till.
I don't think the UFC could justify booking that fight if Whittaker wins on April 17, because Till lost to Whittaker recently, but if Whittaker suffers a defeat to Costa, the door will be wide open for Till.
Amanda Nunes, bantamweight/featherweight (defeated Megan Anderson by first-round submission)
Who should be next: Julianna Peña, if Peña defeats Holly Holm on May 8
Peña is currently No. 6 in the UFC rankings, but that number will rise significantly if she can beat Holm in May. Nunes just beat Holm in July 2019. Now, that doesn't mean they can't fight again, but it feels like it's too soon, even if Holm looks great against Peña.
Peña would be a sizable underdog to Nunes, as all challengers are, but she does bring an interesting style matchup. Her latest win against Sara McMann was an impressive one. McMann hasn't recorded a ton of wins in recent years for a variety of reasons, but stylistically, I thought her wrestling pedigree would present a tough matchup for Peña. Peña showed growth, fight IQ and skill in submitting her in the third round. Peña has confidence, finishing ability and athleticism. I think she'd be an interesting title challenger for Nunes, if she gets by Holm.
Wild card: Aspen Ladd
Ladd is coming back from knee surgery in 2020, and she's not that far removed from a loss to Germaine de Randamie two appearances ago. Frankly, she'd likely benefit from more time to prepare for a challenge such as Nunes. But when you have a champion as dominant as Nunes, you tend to churn through a lot of challengers in a shorter period of time, and truth be told, this opportunity was probably always going to come on the fast track for the 26-year-old Ladd.
Beyond rematches, there aren't a ton of interesting options for Nunes. It's a short list, and Ladd is on it.
Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan, bantamweights
What should be next: A rematch
Man, this was a bummer for everyone involved. There's nothing more you can do. At the end of the day, Yan should have been under control with the strikes he threw. It was an egregiously bad illegal knee, and there was no way Sterling could continue. You can't do anything but run it back.
Islam Makhachev, lightweight (defeated Drew Dober by third-round submission)
Who should be next: Charles Oliveira
This would not be the most fair move for Oliveira, who is on an eight-fight win streak and could easily be fighting for a championship in his next bout under different circumstances. But here's the thing, we're not under different circumstances.
We're at a bit of a logjam and likely facing a four-man tournament featuring Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler. Those are the four I believe the UFC will build its immediate future on at lightweight, so where does that leave Oliveira? He needs to fight again, and Makhachev is the guy.
Makhachev has now won seven in a row. I'm not convinced he wouldn't be favored against any other lightweight in the division right now. Oliveira is the fight.
Wild card: Rafael dos Anjos
This fight was supposed to happen a couple times last year, but it fell through for different reasons. It would certainly make sense to make it again, and dos Anjos isn't one to shy away from difficult fights -- but to me, Makhachev's hype is red hot right now. I'm not saying he'd be a lock to beat dos Anjos, at all, but I think his stock is high enough right now. He has been so tantalizingly good, his teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov is exiting the sport, and I want to see the UFC put him on the fast track.
Elevate him all the way, and let's see, truly, how good he is. Oliveira is the best fight, but dos Anjos would also be a heck of a matchup.
Dominick Cruz, bantamweight (defeated Casey Kenney by split decision)
Who should be next: Jose Aldo
WEC/UFC royalty, man. Not to mention, the best bantamweight of all time vs. the best featherweight of all time (arguably, at least). This matchup would have loads of history in it, and it's absolute fire stylistically.
I was very impressed with Cruz on Saturday. It wasn't a one-sided, dominant performance, but that was never to be expected. Kenney is very good, young and hungry -- this was never going to be a breeze for Cruz. I thought he shook off any lingering rust well, made adjustments when he needed to and showed up big in a critical third round.
Aldo is coming off a terrific showing against Marlon Vera in his last performance. What a fight. What a buildup it would be. Just the thought of these two sharing the Octagon with each other, staring each other down before the fight. Give me this.
When Is Amanda Nunes Fighting Next
Wild card: Frankie Edgar. Speaking of royalty, Edgar falls in the same category as Cruz and Aldo. I know he's coming off a devastating knockout loss to Cory Sandhagen last month, but the fact is he's still highly ranked (higher than Cruz going into Saturday) and 1-1 in his new home of 135 pounds. When I look around the top of the bantamweight division, there are a lot of matchups that make sense for Cruz. But none more than these two legend vs. legend fights.