Final Combating Championship (UFC) Featherweight finishers Amanda Nunes and Megan Anderson will collide this weekend (Sat., March 6, 2021) at UFC 259 within UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Nunes has mostly finished the absurd endeavor of clearing out two separate divisions. They are not UFC’s deepest swimming pools of talent, certain, but dominating two excess weight courses to that degree is nevertheless just one hell of a feat. Anderson is perhaps her ultimate likelihood at 145 lbs, and I mean that practically — who else is there? Anderson is a single of the unusual Featherweights who cannot also make Bantamweight, so this puts her in a quite complicated posture. If she’s unable to upset “The Lioness” — and the oddsmakers do not like her odds — what is the path ahead for the Australian striker? Her division scarcely exists.
Let’s take a closer search at the keys to victory for every girl:
Amanda Nunes
History: 20-4
Essential Wins: Cris Cyborg (UFC 232), Ronda Rousey (UFC 207), Holly Holm (UFC 239), Miesha Tate (UFC 200), Valentina Shevchenko (UFC 215, UFC 196), Germaine de Randamie (UFC 245), Sara McMann (UFC Struggle Evening 73), Raquel Pennington (UFC 224)
Essential Losses: Cat Zingano (UFC 178), Sarah D’Alelio (Invicta FC 4), Alexis Davis (Strikeforce: Barnett vs Kharitonov)
Keys to Victory: Nunes is a destroyer, merely on a diverse stage of speed and electrical power from the large the greater part of her peers. Her athleticism is aided by the actuality that she can truly do it all: Nunes’ suitable hand hits like a truck, she kicks loads really hard, and the Brazilian is completed in equally jiu-jitsu and Judo.
Could Nunes tune up Anderson on the toes? My answer is a considerably less-than-definitive “probably,” but the a lot more essential observe here is that she has no reason to obtain out. Her benefit on the mat is basically astronomical, and as Nunes confirmed opposite Germaine de Randamie, she has no qualms in out-wrestling strikers.
That is basically the smart perform listed here. There is no smart cause to trade strikes with one particular of the couple ladies with real knockout energy, not when Nunes can still select up a high-quality stoppage — or at the very least dominant get — from top rated position.
If Holly Holm can double leg Anderson together the fence, “Lioness” need to have no difficulties implementing her will.
Megan Anderson
History: 11-4
Crucial Wins: Norma Dumont Viana (UFC Battle Evening 169), Zarah Fairn dos Santos (UFC 243), Cat Zingano (UFC 232)
Important Losses: Holly Holm (UFC 225), Felicia Spencer (UFC Fight Evening 152)
Keys to Victory: Anderson commenced her martial arts coaching with Muay Thai, and it’s nonetheless surely her largest strength. When ready to stalk her opponent, Anderson throws at a fantastic clip with authentic electric power, and that on your own offers her a far more sensible probability than a good deal of unsuccessful “Lioness” challengers.
In this match up, Anderson has to put a rate on her opponent. On the ft, Anderson should really be sticking very long kicks and jabs in her experience regularly. Nunes is utilized to getting the bully, so if Anderson can flip that script, it may toss her opponent off a little bit.
Or else, the takedown is going to occur. What’s critical is that Anderson remembers that she has five rounds to get the job done, which suggests that she can drop a spherical or two to leading command offered she’s frequently operating to scramble up to her toes. It is significantly a lot more exhausting to wrestle a more substantial opponent, and Anderson can use that sizing to her gain if she’s forcing Nunes to frequently drag her back down.
Aggressive punches-in-bunches, identified scrambling, and opportunistic clinch operate — this represents Anderson’s most effective possibility at the upset.
Bottom Line
The predicament right here reminds me to some degree of T.J. Dillashaw’s unsuccessful bid to kill the Flyweight division.
For Nunes, the situation is the exact same as ever. She’s not likely to get rid of, and if she does, an instant rematch will happen. Worst case, she continue to has one more belt to protect — which is one critical failsafe! Right until these kinds of a thing occurs, Nunes is merely increasing on her latest legacy as the most effective fighter in the heritage of women’s MMA.
The stakes are substantially larger for Anderson, who could well be combating for her division. Nunes is not fully commited to Featherweight, as her first increase to greatness and most of her other possible challengers lie at 135 lbs .. Nor is UFC committed to the division, as evidenced by the fact that there are pretty much no Featherweights apart from Nunes stated in the rankings. Anderson is the past (relative) name problem for Nunes at that fat, so what comes about if she will come up short?
It’s very possible the division is out, and Bellator is the upcoming greatest selection. On the other hand, if Anderson does seize the belt, the division out of the blue has a winner entirely centered on the 145-pound class. Most likely that is a thing to make from?
Don’t forget that MMAmania.com will produce Stay spherical-by-spherical, blow-by-blow coverage of the overall UFC 259 battle card right right here, starting off with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches on the net, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard equilibrium on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, just before the PPV most important card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
To check out the most recent and greatest UFC 259: “Blachowicz vs. Adesanya” information and notes be positive to hit up our detailed occasion archive correct right here.
At UFC 259, Amanda Nunes and Megan Anderson will battle for the Featherweight belt. Which lady will walk away with the title?
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