Amanda Nunes needed just over two minutes to dismantle the latest opponent attempting to wrestle one of two UFC titles away from her
Taking on former Invicta FC champion Megan Anderson in the UFC 259 co-main event, Nunes was ferocious with her striking in the opening exchanges before eventually taking the fight to the ground where it became an even bigger mismatch. Nunes was chipping away with strikes before eventually transitioning to an armbar that bent Anderson’s elbow in the wrong direction, which forced the Australian featherweight to tap out.
The stoppage came at 2:03 into the first round.
“The plan was exactly how I finished the fight,” Nunes said after her 12th consecutive win in a row. “I’m here. I don’t have a lot of girls out there who want this opportunity. I think I’m getting older, I’m getting good. I’ve been training hard. I’m training with the best at American Top Team. I get strong, I’m getting better. I feel very good in this weight class. I feel amazing.”
ONE FOR EACH SHOULDER 🏆🏆 @Amanda_Leoa #UFC259 pic.twitter.com/clzFXZOfGk
— UFC (@ufc) March 7, 2021
As soon as the fight started, Nunes came after Anderson with a series of power punches that immediately found a home on the taller fighter. A pair of right hands had Anderson wobbled and that was all Nunes needed to see to go in for the kill.
Once Nunes took the fight to the ground, she began hammering away with punches and it appeared she might get the finish that way but she instead transitioned to take the back to look for a submission.
Nunes locked her legs around Anderson’s head and arm and it appeared momentarily that she might pull off a triangle choke. That gave way to the arm being extended as Nunes locked up the submission and Anderson was forced to tap or risk potential injury.
Nunes has now defended her featherweight title two times in her second consecutive fight at 145 pounds without many opponents left for her in the division. By that standard, there aren’t many fighters left at bantamweight who Nunes hasn’t already dispatched either.
Following the win, Nunes celebrated with her wife Nina Ansaroff and their baby girl Reagan and the reigning two-division champion says that’s all the motivation she needs to remain champion until the day she walks away from the sport.
“Nobody is going to stop me,” Nunes said. “I’m going to retire undefeated and with the two belts at home.”
