UFC 289 Results, Live Coverage, and Discussion: Amanda Nunes Retires After Dominant Victory!

Welcome to Fightful.com’s results, live coverage, and discussion for UFC 289: Nunes vs. Aldana.

We will bring you live play-by-play for UFC 289’s main card and full results for the rest of tonight’s card. Scroll down to the Disqus boards below and chat with fellow MMA fans during the event.

Results

Main Card (PPV, 10:00 p.m. EDT/7:00 p.m. PDT)

• Amanda Nunes (C) def. (#5) Irene Aldana via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-43) — UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship
• (#1) Charles Oliveira def. (#4) Beneil Dariush via TKO (strikes) (4:10, R1)
• Mike Malott def. Adam Fugitt via submission (guillotine choke) (1:06, R2)
• (#13) Dan Ige def. Nate Landwehr via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Marc-Andre Barriault def. Eryk Anders via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Prelims (ESPN, 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. PDT)

• (#12) Nassourdine Imavov vs. (#14) Chris Curtis Ends in a No Contest (accidental headbutt) (3:04, R2)
• Jasmine Jasudavicius def. (#15) Miranda Maverick via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Aiemann Zahabi def. Aoriqleng via KO (punch) (1:04, R1)
• Kyle Nelson def. Blake Bilder via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Early Prelims (ESPN, 7:00 p.m. EDT/4:00 p.m. PDT)

• Stephen Erceg def. (#10) David Dvorak via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Diana Belbita def. Maria Oliveira via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Play-by-Play

Amanda Nunes (C) vs. (#5) Irene Aldana — UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship

Round One – Nunes opens the action with a front kick to the body. Nunes lands a 1-2 back up top and lands a low kick. Nunes lands a spinning back kick to the body and dives in for a takedown but Aldana stuffs the attempt. Nunes lands a 1-2, Aldana fires back with a right hook, and Nunes plants a kick onto Aldana’s lead leg. Nunes lands a front kick to the body and follows it up with a looping left hand back up top. Nunes with another low kick and a right hook at the horn to end the opening frame.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Nunes.

Round Two – Nunes pops the jab to open round number two. Nunes lands a low kick, then a front kick to the body, Aldana comes back with a 1-2, and Nunes lands a low kick. Nunes rips off a lightning quick combination, most of which find a home, and the champion follows it up with a lead leg kick. Aldana looks to clinch but Nunes shoves Aldana down to the mat but the challenger pops right back up to her feet. Nunes fires off a 1-2 then stuns the challenger with a left hook before securing a takedown. Nunes allows Aldana back to her feet and lands a straight right hand at the horn to end round number two.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Nunes. 20-18 to Nunes after two rounds.

Round Three – Nunes comes out aggressive and stuns Aldana with a 1-2. Nunes lands another 1-2, then a left hook, and plants yet another thunderous kick on the challenger’s lead leg. Nunes drags Aldana down to the mat, Aldana pops back up, but Nunes scoops and slams the challenger right back down to the mat, and settles into half guard. Nunes lands some heavy shots from the top and mixes a slicing elbow into her attack. Aldana scrambles, Nunes looks for a choke, Aldana gets to a knee, but Nunes shoves her right back down to the mat. Nunes lets Aldana back up but quickly initiates the clinch and has the challenger pressed against the fence. Nunes trips Aldana down stomach first on the mat and looks for the choke. Aldana defends well, Nunes rides the back, but is too high and Aldana slips out of danger for the time being. Both competitors are now back on their feet and in the center of the octagon, Nunes lands a step in elbow, Aldana lands a straight right hand, and pops the jab in behind. Aldana jabs, Nunes lands a straight left to the body, and a 1-2 back up top at the buzzer, and this one is headed to championship rounds.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Nunes. 30-27 to Nunes after three rounds.

Round Four – Nunes continues her forward march despite more than likely winning each of the first three rounds. Nunes lands a 1-2, Aldana fires back and lands a left hook, Nunes looks for the takedown but Aldana avoids danger and shoves the champion off of her. Nunes lands a left hook and goes for another takedown but once again, Aldana is showing improvement here and avoids being dragged down to deep waters, and remains upright. Nunes lands a right hook and a step in knee to the body. Nunes drills Aldana with a right hook followed by a right hook to the body, and pops the jab back up top. Nunes pops the jab once again and Aldana’s face is bloodied up. Nunes continues the barrage and lands yet another 1-2 and the champion looks extremely crisp here tonight, and the horn sounds that’ll send this one to the fifth and final round.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Nunes. 40-36 to Nunes after four rounds.

Round Five – Aldana knows she needs a finish here to steal the victory and she comes out swinging. Nunes knows this, however, and wastes no time in securing a takedown with plenty of time to work. Nunes settles into top control and lands a few heavy shots from the position. Nunes is relentless in her attack and wants a finish to put an exclamation mark on what has been a masterful performance from the future first ballot UFC Hall of Famer. Aldana scoots herself to the fence and is now in a seated position. We see a picture-in-picture with Julianna Pena, who’s seated in the audience, and she’s not quiet in making it well known that she and Amanda Nunes are tied up 1-1 in their rivalry. Back to the action and Nunes is just over one minute away from securing yet another successful title defense, further cementing herself as the greatest female MMA figher of all-time, and potentially closing in as perhaps the best MMA fighter of all-time regardless of gender. Nunes fires off a bevy of shots until the final buzzer, and this one is headed to the judge’s scorecards.

Fightful scores this round 10-8 to Nunes. 50-44 to Nunes overall.

Result: Amanda Nunes (C) def. (#5) Irene Aldana via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-43)

(#1) Charles Oliveira vs. (#4) Beneil Dariush

Round One – Dariush opens the action with a low kick. Dariush lands a side kick to the body and slips but gets right back up. Oliveira clinches, Dariush reverses momentum but Oliveira pulls guard and drags this one down to the mat. Dariush opens up some big shots from the top, Oliveira is active off his back and is throwing some heat back. Dariush continues the barrage and works in some shots to the body as Oliveira continues to work from his back. A huge scramble from both competitors, Oliveira looks for a heel hook, Dariush stands and does a great job of defending and ends up back in top control. Dariush is throwing and landing some big shots, then stands, and just avoids an up kick from Oliveira and settles back into top control. Oliveira shoves Dariush back, lands an up kick, and scrambles back to his feet and immediately clinches Dariush against the fence. Oliveira lands a 1-2, then a high kick and Dariush is hurt! Dariush shoots for a takedown, Oliveira stuffs the attempt and starts landing heavy shots from top control and Dariush is out! What a performance from Charles Oliveira!

Result: (#1) Charles Oliveira def. (#4) Beneil Dariush via TKO (strikes) (4:10, R1)

Mike Malott vs. Adam Fugitt

Round One – Malott opens the action with a side kick to the body. Fugitt lands a left hook, Malott lands another body kick, and the fight is briefly paused after Malott landed a body kick a bit below Fugitt’s belt. Fugitt gives the thumbs up and the fight is quickly resumed. Fugitt immediately goes for a takedown but Malott spins and ends up with top control. Fugitt scrambles to his feet but Malott tosses him right back down to the mat and secures the takedown. Fugitt lands a few shots from his back but the buzzer sounds to end the opening frame.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Malott.

Round Two – Malott lands a front kick to the body to open the action in round number two. Malott drills Fugitt with a left hook, Fugitt is down, Malott quickly locks up a guillotine choke, and Fugitt has no choice but to tap out! Statement performance from Mike Malott!

Result: Mike Malott def. Adam Fugitt via submission (guillotine choke) (1:06, R2)

(#13) Dan Ige vs. Nate Landwehr

Round One – Ige opens the action with a straight left hand. Ige lands a 1-2 followed by a low kick. Ige rips a left hook to the body, Landwehr lands a 1-2 up top and whiffs on a high kick. Landwehr has a head kick blocked but lands the jab back up top. Landwehr continues to find a home for the jab here late in the opening frame but Ige cracks Landwehr with a left hook and Landwehr is down but is potentially saved by the bell and that’ll end a wild first round.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Ige.

Round Two – Landwehr looks for the takedown to begin round number two but Ige defends well and spins out of danger for the time being. Ige lands a right hook, Landwehr pops the jab, but Ige returns fire with a jab of his own. Ige lands a 1-2, Landwehr cracks him with a right hook and Ige has a cut opened up on the bridge of his nose. Landwehr pops the jab, Ige does the same, and Ige plants a kick on the lead leg of Landwehr. Ige lands a low kick, Landwehr returns fire with a 1-2, then a left hook, and an uppercut. Ige rips a left hook to the body, Landwehr comes back with a 1-2 but Ige folds Landwehr with a left hook and Landwehr is down late once again! Ige rushes in for the finish but Landwehr lands a gnarly up kick and Ige retreats but the buzzer sounds to end another wild round!

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Ige. 20-18 to Ige after two rounds.

Round Three – Ige wobbles Landwehr with a right hook right off the bat and Landwehr is running off of pure adrenaline at this point. Landwehr partially lands a head kick, Ige lands a straight left hand, and Landwehr lands a knee to the body. Ige clinches, Landwehr reverses momentum and lands an elbow whilst clinched against the fence. Ige forces the break and just avoids a front kick attempt from Landwehr. Ige jabs, Landwehr lands a knee to the body, then a low kick, then a 1-2 back up top. Ige lands a low kick, Landwehr lands a straight right hand, then another, and a knee to the body. Ige shoots for a takedown, Landwehr sprawls, but Ige clinches Landwehr against the fence and the horn sounds to send this one to the judge’s scorecards.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Landwehr. 29-28 to Ige overall.

Result: (#13) Dan Ige def. Nate Landwehr via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Eryk Anders

Round One – Barriault wallops Anders with a side kick to the face and Anders is already down! Anders pops back to his feet, Barriault clinches and cracks Anders with a slicing right elbow across the forehead and follows it up with a knee to the body. Anders lands a few knees to the body of his own and now starts crushing Barriault with some elbows back up top. Anders stuns Barriault with an uppercut before ripping a left hook to the body. Barriault lands a side kick to the body before landing a right hook back up top. Anders clinches and looks for a takedown but Barriault holds firm and shoves Anders off of him. Anders shoots for a takedown, Barriault defends well, but Anders trips him to the mat. Barriault scrambled back to his feet as the horn sounds to end an eventful opening frame.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Barriault.

Round Two – Barriault goes for a side kick to the body but the kick is below the belt and the fight is briefly paused to allow Anders to recover. Anders gives the thumbs up and this one is quickly back underway. Barriault lands a 1-2, Anders lands a left hook in return and just misses a head kick. Anders shoots for a takedown, Barriault defends well for a moment but Anders is relentless in his approach and gets the Canadian contender down to the mat. Anders looks for some ground and pound but Barriault pops back up to his feet and lands a 1-2 and looks for a kick to the body but it’s once again below the belt. The fight is once again halted and Anders gives the OK after a few moments to recover from a second low blow from Barriault. The fight is resumed and Anders lands a side kick to the body. Anders dives in for a takedown but Barriault stuffs the attempt and remains upright. Anders clinches and a lands a pair of knees to the body. Barriault returns fire with a right hook, then rips a right hook to the body in behind at the horn and this one is headed to round number three.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Anders. 19-19 overall after two rounds.

Round Three – Anders opens the final frame with a 1-2 followed by a side kick to the body. Anders clinches, Barriault forces the break and cracks Anders with a right hook. Barriault rips a right hook to the body, then a 1-2 in behind. Barriault pops the jab, Anders returns fire with a straight left hand, and Barriault continues to stick the jab here late. Barriault cracks Anders with a 1-2, then a side kick to the body, and Anders comes back with a right hook. Anders lands a side kick to the body then pops the jab, and follows it up with a slick 1-2. Anders whiffs on a Hail Mary head kick at the buzzer and this one is headed to the judge’s scorecards.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Barriault. 29-28 to Barriault overall.

Result: Marc-Andre Barriault def. Eryk Anders via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

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