Amanda Nunes retires after blowout win over Irene Aldana at UFC 289
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Amanda Nunes is leaving MMA at the peak of her powers.
The UFC's only current two-division champion announced her retirement on Saturday, walking away on top after adding another flawless title defense to her résumé in UFC 289's main event. For her swan song, Nunes dominated Irene Aldana to win a lopsided unanimous decision and notch the sixth defense of her bantamweight belt over her two title reigns. All three judges scored the bout a clean sweep in Nunes' favor, 50-44, 50-44, 50-43.
"My mom was asking me so much to do this for so long, she can't take it anymore," Nunes said after laying down her two UFC titles in the center of the octagon, alongside her gloves. "My partner as well, Nina [Nunes], she's been around so much with me my whole career, she's pregnant now and we've been on this road for so long. I decided right now I'm still young enough to enjoy everything that I made. I've got to travel, I want to be with my family. I've got to spend more time with my family in Brazil as well.
"I left them so young to come here and chase the dream and everything, there was never a doubt in my mind I was going to be come a champion. But when I became a champion, it was unbelievable. A double champ as well."
It was one final flawless performance for Nunes (23-5), who reasserted her dominance over the women's 135-pound division all over again by battering Aldana for five rounds.
The champ was never once in trouble, overwhelming a tentative Aldana with a mix of standup acumen and mat wizardry. Nunes out-landed the Mexican talent 142-41 in significant strikes, won the takedown battle 6-0, and connected on 53 percent of her significant strike attempts compared to Aldana's paltry total of 28 percent.
Aldana's best shot came early in the first round when she cracked Nunes with a well-timed counter right hand, however the future Hall of Famer just ate it and continued her assault.
Nunes, 35, now exits MMA as the most decorated female fighter in UFC history - and one of the most decorated champions to ever lace up a pair of four-ounce gloves, regardless of gender.
"I came from a small city in Brazil, the name is Pojuca, nobody knows where it is in Brazil, but I made it here," Nunes said. "I became a champion and the only champion that Brazil has right now. ... I'm leaving, thank you!"
Amanda Nunes retires after blowout win over Irene Aldana at UFC 289 originally appeared on NBC Sports
