411’s UFC 289 Report: Amanda Nunes Retains, Then Retires

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
(c) Amanda Nunes (135 lbs.) vs. #5 Irene Aldana (135 lbs.) – for women’s bantamweight title
#1 Charles Oliveira (154 lbs.) vs. #4 Beneil Dariush (156 lbs.)
Adam Fugitt (170.75 lbs.) vs. Mike Malott (169.5 lbs.)
#13 Dan Ige (145.5 lbs.) vs. Nate Landwehr (144.25 lbs.)
Eryk Anders (184.75 lbs.) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (185 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
#14 Chris Curtis (185.25 lbs.) vs. #12 Nassourdine Imavov (185.5 lbs.)
Jasmine Jasudavicius (125.25 lbs.) vs. #15 Miranda Maverick (125.5 lbs.)
Aori Qileng (135 lbs.) vs. Aiemann Zahabi (135.75 lbs.)
Blake Bilder (145.5 lbs.) vs. Kyle Nelson (145 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
#10 David Dvorak (125.5 lbs.) vs. Stephen Erceg (125.5 lbs.)
Diana Belbita (114.5 lbs.) vs. Maria Oliveira (115.5 lbs.)

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Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 289, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the event. Tonight the UFC is back in Canada for the first time since 2019 and they’ve brought a PPV that’s not exactly thrilling on paper. That said the main event is all time great Amanda Nunes trying to get her second title run off the ground as she defends against Irene Aldana who’s trying to continue the success of fellow Mexicans Yair Rodriguez, Alexa Grasso, and Brandon Moreno by bringing a fourth title back to Mexico. The co-main event is a darn good fight that by all rights should crown the next challenger to the lightweight title when former champion Charles Oliveira battles surging Beneil Dariush. Beyond that the pickings get a little slim, but Dan Ige vs. Nate Landwehr has some potential, and Chris Curtis vs. Nassourdine Imavov might surprise a few people. Mostly we’re hoping for a card better in practice than on paper, but this one is relatively well positioned to overdeliver relative to expectations.

UFC 289 comes to the world from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier, and Paul Felder will be calling the action for us. I’m not sure what the rule is on instant replay for this province but if the broadcast ever sees fit to tell us I’ll let you know. Do keep in mind we’re in the larger 30 foot diameter Octagon instead of the 25 footer installed in the Apex.

Diana Belbita has gone 1-3 in the UFC but 1-1 since dropping to strawweight, she’s coming off of a loss though and is trying to avoid another losing streak. Maria Oliveira has gone 1-2 in the UFC, she’s likewise coming off of a loss and is trying to avoid her first UFC losing streak. This one is pretty close according to the odds but the tilt towards Belbita at -135 to +115 for Oliveira.

Strawweight Bout: Diana Belbita (14-7, 114.5) vs. Maria Oliveira (13-6, 115.5)

ROUND ONE: Belbita is an inch taller while Oliveira has an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Oliveira using slightly straighter punches early and she’s able to land a little better. Belbita lands a right hand. Both women land rights then Belbita lands an inside leg kick. They trade jabs. Belbita lands a leg kick. Another right from Belbita. They trade rights again. Both women miss some punches. They tie up, Belbita lands a body kick but Oliveira gets a takedown into full guard. Belbita starts with the elbows from her back while trying to set up an armbar. Belbita looks to stand, she lands an up kick as Oliveira stands, Oliveira tries for an Achilles lock, not a wise move, and Belbita gets on top in half guard. Oliveira fights up to her feet and they’re clinched now. Both women land knees and they break. Oliveira looks a little gassed already. Belbita lands a leg kick. They’re just trading the same couple of combinations, backing off, then doing it again. You can practically see how they just do this on pads. Belbita lands a left hook. Leg kick from Belbita then a right hand and that basically closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Belbita

ROUND TWO: Belbita gets after pressure right away, she lands a couple of leg kicks but Oliveira gets a takedown into full guard. Some elbows from Belbita off of her back as she’s sort of half trying to set up a triangle attack. Oliveira tries a few hammer fists, they don’t land. Another elbow from Belbita and she scoots to the fence. Belbita wall walks into a clinch. A few body shots from Belbita. Oliveira is just holding on, not doing much. A couple of knees from Belbita land. More knees go back and forth, Belbita is getting the better of things thus far. The ref breaks them up, fair as again things had stalled. Belbita lands some jabs but is really looping her right hand when throwing it. Oliveira has a kick caught and Belbita forces her to the fence again and goes back to working knees. Takedown from Belbita and she lands an elbow as she gets on top in half guard. Belbita ends the round with another elbow.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Belbita, 20-18 Belbita overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Belbita goes back to doing what she’s been doing, wading forward and swimming punches with the occasional leg kick. They clinch, Belbita lands a few knees to the body before Oliveira breaks away. Knee from Oliveira. Belbita lands a couple of jabs. Oliveira seems to have her legs back under her at this point, she’s a bit less flat. They split a few jabs while meandering around the cage. Oliveira tries a takedown, Belbita finally defends one and they hit the fence in the clinch. Some more knees from Belbita before they break. Bit of a right from Belbita. Oliveira is fading, she’s trying jumping and spinning stuff because she’s out of ideas. Belbita lands a couple of jabs then a left to the body. They clinch again, trade some knees then break. Belbita with a bit of a left, then a leg kick. Oliveira lands a leg kick. Belbita lands a leg kick. Oliveira tries a jumping knee, doesn’t land. A second jumping knee from Oliveira, that one partially lands. Oliveira keeps throwing the jumping knee now. Belbita lands a head kick then a jab. They punch into a clinch and Belbita lands a knee then they break. A left hook from Belbita lands. They both swing awkwardly as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Belbita, 30-27 Belbita overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Diana Belbita via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

Belbita gets an interview after that less than stellar fight, she likes to show the people a good show and then plays with the crowd. She’s lived in Canada for the last four years and feels the support from the people. Asked what she’d like next she brings up a series of injuries she’s had to overcome, puts over her coaches and mentions her left foot is nearly broken and she couldn’t kick with it at all.

David Dvorak had a pretty good winning streak going for a while including three wins in the UFC, but he went 0-2 in 2022 and now needs a win pretty badly to defend his ranking and get his career back on track. Steve Erceg replaced Matt Schnell on short notice but he’s on an eight fight winning streak coming into his UFC debut and if he’s able to take out the ranked Dvorak it’ll be easily the biggest win of his career. Dvorak is an unsurprising favorite at -265 against +225 on Erceg.

Flyweight Bout: #10 David Dvorak (20-5, 125.5 lbs.) vs. Stephen Erceg (9-1, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Erceg is three inches taller while Dvorak has half an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Some early stance switching from Dvorak as they circle. Dvorak lands a calf kick. Another calf kick from Dvorak. Erceg misses a head kick. Bit of a right from Erceg to counter a leg kick. Both men miss rights in close. Bit of a leg kick from Erceg. Dvorak misses a left hook, and Erceg lands a counter left. Both men miss punches. Dvorak lands a right hand that seems to bother Erceg. Calf kick from Dvorak. Another right from Dvorak lands, Erceg just eats it but Dvorak is getting through. Both men have landed some nasty calf kicks and there’s visible discoloring on both of them. Erceg lands a calf kick. Again both men miss punches. Inside leg kick from Dvorak. Right hand then a left hook from Dvorak, he’s starting to get Erceg to over commit now. Dvorak lands a left hook. Another calf kick from Dvorak. Erceg barely misses a front kick to the face, that’ll pretty much end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dvorak

ROUND TWO: Erceg looks to jab more as the round begins. Dvorak digs a left to the body then lands a left hook. Bit of a knee from Erceg as he avoids a clinch. Both men still showing the lead hand and are trying to draw each other out. Dvorak lands a calf kick. Bit of a knee from Dvorak in close, Erceg lands a right hand though. Dvorak lands a right hand to counter a jab. Left to the body then a right hand from Dvorak. Calf kick from Dvorak. Erceg lands a body kick. Erceg misses a combination, Dvorak might have a read on him now as he’s defending very well. Dvorak lands a calf kick. Erceg tries a takedown, Dvorak defends without much difficulty. Dvorak lands another calf kick, then an inside leg kick as Erceg switches his stance. Erceg fires a left high kick, mostly blocked but that leg has some danger. Dvorak lands a few jabs while circling. Erceg lands a right hand, that hurts Dvorak then he follows up with a head kick. They’re on the mat now and Erceg jumps on a guillotine, it’s getting tighter but Dvorak is fighting to get his head out. They fight over the position but again Dvorak is able to fight it off and get on top in half guard. Dvorak works to drop elbows right away as Erceg gets guard. Hard right from Dvorak, Erceg fights up to his feet and lands a right hand, then they both swing to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Erceg, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Erceg lands a front kick then a jab to start the round. Dvorak is pressing forward at this point. Bit of a left hook from Dvorak. One two from Erceg then a calf kick that’s partially checked. They trade front kicks. Both men land left hooks. Dvorak with a left hook to then a calf kick. They get close, tie up and I’m not sure how they hit the mat but Erceg is on top and Dvorak has to scramble back up and separate. Bit of a right from Dvorak. They tie up and hit the fence. Dvorak with knees but Erceg is able to slip free. Bit of a body shot from Dvorak. Erceg lands a leg kick but Dvorak tries a takedown, he can’t quite finish it but lands a knee as they break. Double leg from Dvorak, this one lands and then he moves to half guard. Erceg fights to get up, he’s able to get into a front headlock position and pushes over Dvorak to get on top. Dvorak sweeps Erceg, then lands a couple of knees as they stand and break. Bit of a right from Dvorak. Erceg hits a double leg of his own, Dvorak wall walks but Erceg is on his back in the clinch now. A few knees from Erceg land as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Erceg but a close one, 29-28 Erceg overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Stephen Erceg via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

I don’t agree with 30-27 as Dvorak should have had the first, but heck of a debut from Erceg who gets an interview. He says he’s been fighting a long time to get here, and was happy to take away the cardio of Dvorak who’s normally a cardio machine. He talks us through a few highlights, then when asked what he wants next he’ll fight anyone but wants to fight on the upcoming Australia card.

Kyle Nelson has gone 1-4-1 in the UFC, his last win was in 2019 and he fought to a majority draw back in February, now he badly needs a win if he wants to justify his spot on the roster. Blake Bilder has yet to lose as a professional and got a win in his UFC debut back in February, now he’s looking to further solidify himself as a rising prospect in the division. The odds are solidly with Bilder at -265 while Nelson’s comeback sits at +225.

Featherweight Bout: Blake Bilder (8-0-1, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Kyle Nelson (13-5-1, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Nelson is three inches taller with two and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Circling from Bilder early. Bit of a left from Bilder. Nelson misses a right hand. Some probing leg kicks from Bilder as both men try to figure things out. Bilder tries a double leg, probably should have finished that one but he doesn’t and they hit the fence. Nelson fights to turn Bilder into the cage and lands a knee. Not much happening in the clinch here, Nelson is poking in knees while Bilder lands some short punches. Bilder is able to spin free and lands a right hand. They split jabs. A lot of pressure from Bilder now as he’s trying to force a bit more of a brawl. Glancing right from Bilder. Nelson lands a front kick but he’s visibly slower than Bilder. Calf kick from Nelson. They split jabs again then Nelson lands a calf kick. Bit of a right from Bilder but he keeps running into Nelson’s jab. Nelson lands a right hand. A left hook from Nelson lands, that might have hurt Bilder but the round ends not long after it lands.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Nelson

ROUND TWO: Nelson gets back to forward pressure, and lands a body kick. Calf kick from Nelson. Bilder lands a body kick but eats a right hand to counter. A low blow to Bilder goes unacknowledged and they wind up clinched on the fence. Not much happens and they break. Some jabs go back and forth for a bit. Bit of a head kick from Nelson. Nelson lands a jab, he’s not faster but he’s got the timing down. Bilder lands a right hand. More jabs from Nelson land. Leg kick from Bilder. Nelson lands a leg kick. Front kick from Nelson. Bilder misses a right hand, and Nelson lands a counter punch. They trade leg kicks. A few kicks go back and forth from both men. Nelson lands a leg kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Nelson, 20-18 Nelson overall

ROUND THREE: Nelson checks an inside leg kick then lands a calf kick. Bilder is pushing forward, he seems to know he’s down and needs a finish. Bilder tries a takedown, that hits the fence and Nelson is able to defend. Nelson is still defending in the clinch and Bilder settles for a clinch. Nelson spins Bilder around and looks for a takedown. Some knees from Nelson but he’s just trying to ice things. The ref breaks them up as things had stalled. Nelson blocks a head kick. Bilder is throwing but not landing much, Nelson lands a left to the body. Right hand from Bilder lands, he might have stunned Nelson but Nelson fires back and then lands a front kick. Bit of a left from Bilder. Nelson lands a hard body kick. Bilder badly misses a wheel kick. Nelson lands a front kick then misses a head kick. Bilder misses some offense. They both miss punches in close, Nelson lands a body kick then a right hand and a leg kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Nelson, 30-27 Nelson overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kyle Nelson via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

Much needed win for Nelson. Nelson gets an interview, he puts over a few sponsors then his coaches and support system before putting over Bilder in general. He wanted to out work and out class Bilder and feels he did that. He mentions being big for the weight class and working on his jab to maximize that.

Aiemann Zahabi has gone 3-2 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight winning streak and ends a near year long layoff here looking to get that streak to three in a row. Aoriqileng has gone 2-2 in the UFC but he’s 2-0 since moving back up to bantamweight and if he can get that streak to three in a row here he might be able to take aim at some of the bigger names in the stacked division. We’ve got another close one here, -120 Aoriqileng against an even +100 for Zahabi.

Bantamweight Bout: Aoriqileng (24-9, 135 lbs.) vs. Aiemann Zahabi (9-2, 135.75 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Zahabi is an inch taller while Aoriqileng has half an inch of reach advantage. Aoriqileng starts pushing forward early, and lands a calf kick. Body kick from Aoriqileng. Zahabi counters a leg kick with a couple of punches. Bit of a calf kick from Aoriqileng. Zahabi counters a leg kick with a left hook that floors Aoriqileng, a few follow up shots prompt the stoppage and we’ve got our first finish of the night.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Aiemann Zahabi via KO, punches, at 1:04 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Zahabi for his work this evening. Mic time for Zahabi, he plays with the crowd then talks us through the finish. Asked what he’d like next now that he’s won three in a row, he wants to fight in the fall and then asks Drake for a Rolex watch.

Here’s the finish. You can see Zahabi reach for the leg kick, and as Aoriqileng reaches to address the potential knee tap it exposes the right side of his face to the left hook from Zahabi.

ZAHABI'S HUGE LEFT LED TO THE FIRST ROUND KO 👊 #UFC289 pic.twitter.com/H2ujHW6B15

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 11, 2023

Miranda Maverick has gone 4-2 in the UFC with one of those losses being a highly controversial split decision but she’s currently on a two fight winning streak. Maverick is trying to defend her ranking and possibly start fighting up instead of down next time. Jasmine Jasudavicius has gone 2-1 in the UFC, she’s coming off of a win and is looking for a big here to earn her first UFC winning streak. Maverick is a pretty big favorite at -245 against Jasudavicius’s +205.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Jasmine Jasudavicius (8-2, 125.25 lbs.) vs. #15 Miranda Maverick (11-4, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Jasudavicius is three and a half inches taller, has two and a half inches of reach advantage, and is nine years older. Southpaw for Maverick. Both women land some punches in close. Maverick lands a few leg kicks while circling. Bit of a left from Maverick. Body kick from Maverick. They punch into a clinch, Jasudavicius lands a knee but Maverick works body shots and knees as they fight for position in open space. Left hand from Maverick lands as they break. Maverick lands a body shot. Jasudavicius lands a right but she seems a step behind thus far. Maverick lands another calf kick. Jasudavicius defends a takedown but they wind up on the fence. Hip toss from Jasudavicius and she gets on top in full guard. Maverick is setting up an armbar attack, she’s starting to get it in position. Jasudavicius keeps trying to fight the grip but Maverick is still going for the armbar. Jasudavicius finally gets out of most of the danger in terms of leg position. Maverick makes one final attempt at the armbar but time runs out before that can develop.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Maverick

ROUND TWO: Both women come out looking to punch. Maverick keeps working the outside leg kick, then lands a left hand. Bit of a right from Jasudavicius. Maverick lands a body kick then a side kick. Short left from Maverick. Jasudavicius misses a few kicks but she’s trying to counter. They trade lefts. Maverick lands a couple of punches but Jasudavicius lands a couple of knees in close then a high kick and they clinch up. They break and Jasudavicius misses another head kick. They trade power hand punches. Maverick keeps probing with low kicks, then tries a single leg but can’t finish it and Jasudavicius gets on top in half guard. Maverick gets to full guard, but Jasudavicius passes towards full mount but rushes things and Maverick hip escapes to half guard. Jasudavicius passes to full mount, then gets the back with a body triangle. Maverick rolls to her knees and Jasudavicius rides her back and keeps looking for a choke. Maverick breaks the lock but Jasudavicius stays on top and lands some punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jasudavicius, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Both women come out striking. Body kick from Maverick. Spinning elbow from Maverick partially lands then a body kick. Jasudavicius misses a few rights. Both women land punches in close. Maverick lands a body kick. Jasudavicius lands a couple of jabs. A few elbows from Maverick but Jasudavicius lands a left hand then a high kick. Uppercut from Maverick but Jasudavicius counters with a flurry, she’s blitzing forward and lands a combination of punches. Jasudavicius keeps walking forward and pushing out arm punches. Elbow from Jasudavicius, she’s got Maverick on the fence and lands a couple of punches. Maverick lands a left hand. Left elbow form Maverick but Jasudavicius lands a right hand. Right from Jasudavicius to counter a high kick. Maverick tries a single leg, but can’t finish it and Jasudavicius gets the ride position and lands punches. Maverick tries to roll through but Jasudavicius is landing punches from the ride position. Jasudavicius lands a few more punches as Maverick wall walks. Knee from Jasudavicius and she slips to the back in the clinch and they trade a few strikes as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jasudavicius, 29-28 Jasudavicius overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jasmine Jasudavicius via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Mic time for Jasudavicius after that win, she plays with the crowd and says fighting in her home country means a lot to her. She talks about working hard to prepare and improve her skills. Asked what she wants next she doesn’t care as she was fully zoned in on this fight.

Nassourdine Imavov just had a three fight winning streak broken by Sean Strickland, now he’s trying to avoid his first ever losing streak while getting back on track in the middleweight division. Chris Curtis is coming off of a very contentious decision loss to Kelvin Gastelum that featured a headbutt that went uncalled by the officials that might have cost him the fight. Curtis is trying to avoid his first UFC losing streak while getting back on the winning side of things here. The odds lean towards Imavov at -175 while +150 for Curtis might tempt a few bettors out there.

Middleweight Bout: #14 Chris Curtis (30-10, 185.25 lbs.) vs. #12 Nassourdine Imavov (12-4, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Imavov is a notable five inches taller while Curtis has half an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Curtis, and they touch gloves to get things going. Both men probe with some low kicks as they circle. Imavov is working the side kick to the leg. Curtis tries a hook kick, nearly lands it. Left to the body from Curtis. Again leg kicks are traded while circling. A few jabs from Imavov land as he circles. Curtis is backing Imavov towards the fence but can’t quite corral him. A few lefts from Curtis land. Imavov lands a right hand. Curtis blocks a couple of punches but Imavov has fast hands. Imavov gets close and moves to the back then trips Curtis down and gets on top in the ride. Curtis looks to wall walk, he’s up but eats a knee. Curtis gets chest to chest and they break. Front kick from Imavov then a right hand. Curtis lands a left hand. Curtis gets close and lands a couple of punches but Imavov clinches up. Imavov rides Curtis down, jumps to the back and grabs at a choke. Curtis is able to block the choke but Imavov is on his back with a body triangle. Curtis fights free and lands a right hook as the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Imavov

ROUND TWO: Curtis gets back to pressuring forward, he lands a left to the body. Imavov lands a left hook. Curtis lands a left to the body. Imavov with a front kick. Curtis lands a leg kick, Imavov with a few jabs. They tie up, but Curtis lands a right as they break. Imavov with a couple of rights, partially successful. Curtis lands a left to the body. Left hand from Curtis lands. Right from Imavov. More body work from Curtis in close, he’s starting to slow Imavov’s motion just a bit. Imavov lands a right hand. Curtis with another body shot, this time Imavov returns it. Body kick from Imavov, Curtis lands a left hand. They clinch up and hit the fence. Elbow and a knee from Imavov as they break then a right hand. Imavov goes back into a clinch but he bangs into the head of Curtis and we’ve got a time out. Curtis is cut around the right eyebrow, that’s in a bad spot. The doctor is in to check on Curtis, he’s wiping the blood away from his right eye. That cut is really in a bad spot, he’s struggling with that eye and it’s pretty blurry according to him. The ref warns him that the fight might be stopped and Curtis wants another minute. The ref is willing to give him a minute, but after that his vision is still messed up and they have to wave it off. Profoundly unfortunate.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – No Contest, accidental clash of heads, at 3:04 of Round 2

Sucks for all parties, Imavov was looking pretty good and Curtis was seeming to find his rhythm as the fight went on so who knows how that would have played out.

Marc-Andre Barriault has traded wins and losses while going 3-2 in his last five fights, he’s coming off of a win though and is trying to get his first winning streak since 2021 up and running here. Eryk Anders has gone 2-2 in his last four fights, he’s coming off of a win and is looking for his first winning streak since 2019. Barriault closed as the favorite at -140 to +120 for Anders.

Middleweight Bout: Eryk Anders (15-7 1 NC, 184.75 lbs.) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (15-6 1 NC, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Anders has an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Anders. Both men circling and waving the lead hand as they battle for foot position. Barriault with a body kick then a right hand that drops Anders. Anders looks to recover off of his back, he fights up but Barriault is in the clinch with him working short punches. Some knees from Anders as he turns Barriault into the fence. Barriault with an elbow then a right hand. Anders responds with punches then they trade knees. Elbows from Anders now, these two are going at it in the clinch. More knees go back and forth and they break. Anders with a knee as he enters the clinch again. More knees from Anders. They trade elbows but Anders is upping the tempo here. Barriault punches his way out of the clinch but Anders is still backing him to the fence. Right hand from Barriault lands. They clinch up and trade knees, then Anders clubs Barriault with a left hand before they break. Again Barriault lands the body kick and right hand but Anders just eats it this time and keeps coming forward. Anders punches into a clinch and they resume working knees to each other. Left from Anders as they break. Again they clinch and Anders with some knees. Barriault lands an elbow. Both men keep trading in the clinch, we’ve got a full blown hockey fight going on here. Barriault lands a knee as Anders tries a clinch, Anders eats it and forces things to the fence. Anders looks for an outside reap but Barriault fights up and they trade again before braking. Left hand from Anders, he just will not let Barriault breathe. Barriault avoids a left and lands a left of his own. Barriault blocks a kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Barriault

ROUND TWO: Let’s see who can keep that pace because for middleweights that was pretty nuts. Both men come out and look to keep fighting. Barriault lands a body kick but Anders is after him. Anders forces a clinch and lands knees, then Barriault punches his way free. Hard body kick from Anders. Bit of a left from Anders then they trade power hand punches. Barriault throws a kick that strays to the groin of Anders and we’ve got a time out. Replay, well it’s not the cleanest foul I’ve seen but I can see the ruling from the ref. We’re back to fighting after just over a minute. Anders gets back to pushing forward. Front kick from Barriault. Left hand from Anders definitely got Barriault’s attention. Barriault keeps showing the jab as he’s circling. Anders with a couple of lefts then a clinch on the fence. Both men with knees in the clinch, then Anders hits a single leg into half guard. Barriault works to stand quickly but Anders grabs a cradle for some control against the fence. Barriault pops up but eats a couple of lefts. Anders lands a couple of elbows before they break. Body kick from Barriault but Anders stays in his face and lands a couple of punches, Barriault tries a knee but his foot hits Anders pretty clearly in the cup. Yah, no doubt about this one as we’ve got another time out. The ref consults with a review official, wanting to know how bad the blow was. Barriault gets a stern warning and we’re back to fighting after 1:45. Anders lands a left hand. A lot of pressure from Anders now, he lands another left. They clinch up and trade elbows before breaking. They tie up and trade knees again, Anders with an elbow and more knees before Barriault pulls free. Both men land lefts. Barriault lands a body kick and a right hand behind it. Body kick from Anders then a left hand. Bit of a body kick from Barriault to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Anders, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Barriault comes out looking to press things now. Body kick from Barriault. Knee from Anders then a left hand behind it. Bit of a left from Anders. Barriault lands another body kick. A couple of punches from Barriault in close. Anders goes for a single leg against the fence, he has to settle for a clinch. Some knees from Anders land. They break then Barriault avoids a clinch. Bit of a right from Barriault. Body kick from Barriault lands. Anders lands a left hand. Barriault with an uppercut that backs up Anders for a second. Body kick from Barriault, then another one. Barriault lands a right hand. Anders lands a body shot. A right from Barriault stuns Anders but Anders is back after him. Barriault lands a right that stuns Anders again. Anders keeps coming forward but he’s not landing as much as he was earlier. Bit of a right from Barriault. Stiff jabs from Barriault then a right hand. Bit of a head kick from Barriault, then a left that hurts Anders for a moment. Anders recovers and lands a left but Barriault is timing him now with his jab. Anders lands a couple of lefts. They trade jabs but Anders is just walking forward. They trade one las time as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Barriault, 29-28 Barriault overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Marc-Andre Barriault via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Not sure I agree with 30-27, but I’m not up in arms over it either. Heck of a fight, probably your Fight of the Night so far. Mic time for Barriault, he plays with the crowd then puts over some sponsors. He’s happy to have won in Canada for the first time in years, then puts over Anders as giving him a tough fight before talking us through some of his thought processes.

Dan Ige just broke a three fight losing streak by stopping Damon Jackson, now he’s looking for his first winning streak since 2020 while defending his top ranking against an upstart opponent. Nate Landwehr has shown pretty good form on his current three fight winning streak, now taking a significant step up in class he’s aiming at a ranked opponent and could crash into the rankings himself with a win here. The odds like Ige here at -255 while that +215 on Landwehr might be a tempting little value bet.

Featherweight Bout: #13 Dan Ige (16-6, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Nate Landwehr (17-4, 144.25 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Landwehr is two inches taller with one inch of reach advantage. Ige comes out looking to jab and back up Landwehr. Landwehr misses a high kick. Bit of a right from Ige. Another right from Ige partially lands. More jabs from Ige as he pushes Landwehr back. Left to the body from Ige. Landwehr keeps showing a front kick to try and keep distance, but Ige is starting to counter him off of it. Leg kick from Ige. They clinch up, Landwehr lands a knee then a right hand before they break. Ige starts working the jab again. Bit of a body shot from Ige. Inside leg kick from Ige. Ige with an uppercut then he avoids a takedown. Landwehr is starting to press forward as Ige looks to switch his stance. They split jabs then Ige lands to the body. Both men land in close. Bit of a flurry from Landwehr, mostly blocked by Ige. They split jabs again. Landwehr misses a right. A left hook from Ige drops Landwehr, he bounces up but that’s the last real blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ige

ROUND TWO: Landwehr comes out showing the front kick, Ige lands a left to the body. Ige lands a calf kick. Landwehr tries a single leg, but Ige defends and separates. More jabs from Ige. Bit of a knee from Landwehr. Landwehr lands a left hand. Ige lands a right hand over a jab. A few more jabs from Ige land. Landwehr lands a leg kick but he’s on the fence and that allows Ige to crack him with a one two. Right to the body from Ige. Landwehr lands a right in close. Bit of a left from Ige. A left to the body then a left hook from Ige both land. Body kick from Landwehr. Landwehr blocks a couple of hooks. Ige is still working the jab as he moves. A couple of body shots from Ige. Calf kick from Ige. Bit of a left form Landwehr to counter a body shot. Ige lands a right, Landwehr returns it. A right from Landwehr and they clinch up then break. Ige lands a couple of lefts to the body then they clinch. Landwehr is able to spin free and lands a couple of rights. Ige drops Landwehr with a left hand again, he gets on top and looks to finish with punches, but Landwehr is with it enough to fight him off as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ige, borderline 10-8 with that closing, 20-18 Ige overall

ROUND THREE: Ige right back to jabbing and stalking. Bit of a right from Landwehr. Landwehr is coming forward, he knows he needs a finish. Bit of a right from Ige. Landwehr lands a one two. Ige lands a left hand from southpaw, that wobbles Landwehr. Ige with another left hand. Landwehr lands a jab then a calf kick but Ige lands a left hook. Ige avoids a few strikes. Landwehr lands a jab. They clinch and Landwehr lands a right hand on the break. They trade rights. Ige lands a left, then they trade in close and both men land. Jabs go back and forth then Landwehr tries a knee and they wind up clinched on the fence. They trade elbows in close. Another elbow from Landwehr, then Ige pulls free. Jab from Ige. Ige lands a right hand. Left to the body from Ige, Landwehr didn’t like that one. Landwehr bulls forward and lands a right hand. Ige with a leg kick then a right hand. Landwehr with a right hand after trying a single leg. Ige with some jabs. Landwehr is marching forward with rights and knees. They tie up, Landwehr tries a front headlock but Ige arm drags him and they wind up clinched. The round comes to a close as they trade elbows in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ige but the closest of the fight, 30-27 Ige overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Dan Ige via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

No real issues with Landwehr taking the third. Mic time for Ige, he puts over Landwehr but did want a finish and acknowledges getting a little tired in the third. He says he had a lot of success training as a southpaw but knew the left hook would be scouted, then gives glory to God. Asked what he wants next he’d like to fight in the fall and promises to finish the next guy he gets in there with.

Mike Malott is on a five fight winning streak including two wins in the UFC, he’s looking to continue that success here and prove himself a prospect of note in the division. Adam Fugitt has gone 1-1 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a win though and hopes spoil the homecoming of the Canadian Malott. The odds have keyed into the matchmaking here and favor Malott at -200 against +170 underdog Fugitt.

Welterweight Bout: Adam Fugitt (9-3, 170.75 lbs.) vs. Mike Malott (9-1-1, 169.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Fugitt has four inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Fugitt. Both men probe with the lead hand for a bit. Fugitt misses a head kick. Body kick from Malott seems to bother Fugitt. Bit of a high kick from Fugitt. Malott lands a right hand. Fugitt misses another head kick. Bit of a left from Fugitt. Malott fires a body kick, that one hit the groin but Fugitt doesn’t want a break. Fugitt forces a clinch, Malott then hits a takedown into full guard. Malott passes to half guard. Fugitt hip escapes to full guard again. Fugitt is able to kick Malott away and they reset on the feet. Malott misses a combination. Malott catches a front kick and gets a takedown into full guard again. Fugitt works more of a butterfly guard, he switches to rubber guard and the round ends in that spot.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Malott

ROUND TWO: Fugitt presses forward a bit to start the round. Front kicks go back and forth. Malott lands a right hand followed by a left hoook, that hurts Fugitt then Malott jumps for a guillotine, rolls to mount with it and Fugitt has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Mike Malott via Submission, guillotine choke, at 1:06 of Round 2

Canada went undefeated tonight, good for them. Mic time for Malott, he plays with the crowd then walks us through the finish. He puts over his coaches, then to close he sucks up to the crowd again.

Charles Oliveira is a former lightweight champion and just had a tremendous 11 fight winning streak broken when he failed to recapture the title he lost on the scale when Islam Makhachev handled him, dropped him, and tapped him out in the second round. Oliveira would like another crack at the belt and needs a win here to potentially secure it. Beneil Dariush is on an eight fight winning streak dating back to 2018 and has been taking on increasing levels of opposition, now he gets a crack at the former champion and if he can get by Oliveira then it would be nearly impossible to deny Dariush the next shot at the title. This one has been close the whole way, Dariush closed as a slight -150 favorite to +130 for Oliveira.

Lightweight Bout: #1 Charles Oliveira (33-9 1 NC, 154 lbs.) vs. #4 Beneil Dariush (22-4-1, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Oliveira has two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves, Dariush fighting southpaw. Leg kick from Dariush to counter a kick. Oliveira fires a head kick, mostly successful. Dariush lands a left hand. They tie up, Dariush gets Oliveira on the fence. A few knees from Oliveira in the clinch as they fight for position but Dariush gets a takedown into half guard. Oliveira shrimps to get full guard. Dariush lands some punches then looks to pass. Some body shots from Dariush. A few more punches from Dariush then he passes to half guard, Oliveira looks for a leg lock but Dariush spins free and returns to the full guard. Dariush with more punches, he’s keeping busy on top. Oliveira tries to kick Dariush off, Dariush passes to half guard again but again Oliveira gets full guard back. More hammer fists from Dariush. Body to head punches from Dariush. Oliveira is trying to set up an armbar attack, but Dariush is hip to it and gets his arm free. Oliveira fights up to his feet and they’re clinched again. They trade knees then break. Head kick from Oliveira is partially successful. A couple of rights from Oliveira land, Dariush drops and looks to tie up on the mat. More strikes from Oliveira, he’s on top and keeps punching until the ref jumps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Charles Oliveira via TKO, punches, at 4:10 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Oliveira for his work this evening. That’s Oliveira’s first win in Canada. Mic time for Oliveira and the translator, he plays with the crowd and says he thinks he’s still the champion. He says you only saw 10% of him last time and this is his best, and he’ll fight for the title anywhere. He thanks his coaches and is only worried about winning. Asked about the champion Islam Makhachev, he asks the crowd who the champion is and gets a lukewarm reaction. We all saw you get beat buddy, he’s probably earned a rematch but you aren’t the champion right now.

Irene Aldana has gone 4-1 in her last five fights and brings a two fight winning streak into her first title shot. She’s scored finishes in both of those wins and now looks to ride the wave of momentum that Mexican MMA has built while trying to topple arguably the best woman to ever fight in the sport. Amanda Nunes lost her bantamweight title in December of 2021, but swiftly reclaimed it by absolutely battering Julianna Pena over five rounds about a year ago, now Nunes is trying to further cement her legacy as the best ever by establishing her second title reign in the division. Not surprising to see Nunes as a heavy favorite at -330 while Aldana’s comeback sits at +275.

Women’s Bantamweight Title Bout: (c) Amanda Nunes (22-5, 135 lbs.) vs. #5 Irene Aldana (14-6, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Aldana is an inch taller while Nunes has half an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us started. Aldana comes out feinting and looking to jab. Nunes lands a front kick then has a calf kick checked. Another front kick from Nunes. Aldana starts showing the jab. Nunes with a single leg but can’t get on top as Aldana kicks her away and regains her feet. Bit of a one two from Nunes. Another front kick from Nunes, I don’t think Aldana has landed anything yet. They split jabs. More kicks from Nunes, front kicks and leg kicks as Aldana is just kind of hanging out. Nunes with some jabs to the body. Left from Nunes lands. Aldana lands a couple of jabs. Nunes lands a right hand. A right from Aldana in close sends Nunes backwards for a second. There’s a cut on Nunes from that right hand, not a bad one but it’s there. Bit of a right from Nunes. They feint away the final 10 seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Nunes

ROUND TWO: Aldana looks to throw a little more as the round starts. Also I’m not sure there’s any blood on Nunes, don’t know what I was looking at before but it looked like something. Nunes with some punches, she’s backing Aldana up towards the fence. Front kick from Nunes. Aldana lands a leg kick. Bit of a one two then a front kick from Nunes. Now Nunes with some oblique kicks to the knee, I don’t think Aldana likes those. A few stance switches from Nunes, she’s still mostly orthodox but is showing southpaw on occasion. Nunes fakes a takedown and lands a couple of punches then a calf kick. Aldana lands a hard calf kick. Nunes tosses Aldana down but doesn’t follow her. Bit of a right from Nunes then a calf kick. Aldana lands a calf kick. Knee from Nunes in close, she’s just overwhelming Aldana. Aldana lands a jab. Nunes counters a calf kick with a right hook. Body shot then a right hand from Nunes, this is almost sparring for her. Aldana lands an inside leg kick. Nunes lands a front kick then a right hand. Uppercut from Nunes then she avoids a head kick and gets a takedown, but she stands up and doesn’t want to grapple. Nunes with a front kick then they trade calf kicks to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Nunes, 20-18 Nunes overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves again. Nunes gets back to kicking and just kind of beating up the body and legs of Aldana. Bit of a right hand from Nunes, she’s upping the tempo just a bit. Aldana just can’t find anything approximating reliable offense. Nunes is jabbing and circling, she’s just cruising. Aldana lands an inside leg kick. Easy takedown from Nunes, Aldana bounces up but gets double legged against the fence. Nunes passes to half guard and this time looks to settle in and work. Some short elbows from Nunes. Aldana is just kind of stuck on her hip here. Aldana pushes Nunes over and regains her feet but Nunes uses a front headlock to force her back down into full guard. Nunes stands, Aldana does as well and Nuns jumps to her back in the clinch. Nunes to the back after a mat return, she’s after the choke but Aldana is able to get her a little too high and escape but Nunes is looking for an armbar. Aldana pulls free and lands punches but Nunes cracks her with a right as they separate. Elbow from Nunes, she’s almost just having fun at this point. They split jabs again. Nunes with some body jabs then a right hand and a knee, another right hand but Aldana fires back and they trade as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Nunes, might be a 10-8 argument in there, 30-27 Nunes overall

ROUND FOUR: They touch gloves again. Nunes avoids a few punches then lands a jab. Aldana is coming forward a bit more now, she might have woken up finally. Nunes lands a front kick. Hard right elbow from Nunes stuns Aldana badly, she lands a couple of follow up punches but Aldana wont go down. More jabs from Nunes as she’s moving around. Aldana fights off a takedown attempt. Bit of a right from Aldana. Nunes tires another takedown, Aldana defends and lands a knee but Nunes lands an uppercut as they break. More jabs from Nunes, Aldana’s face is bleeding now in addition to some swelling around the eyes. Double leg from Nunes, she’s got Aldana down but Aldana kicks her off and stands then they clinch again. Some short elbows from Aldana in the clinch then she avoids a takedown. Bit of a right from Aldana. Nunes lands a front kick. Right hand then a left hook from Nunes. Another couple of rights from Nunes, Aldana lands a counter right though. They trade rights, then Nunes lands a front kick. Body shot then a left hook from Nunes. Nunes lands a right hand, Aldana just eats it. Nunes lands a right to the body. Aldana pushes forward, and walks into a right hand. Spinning back fist from Nunes partially lands to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Nunes but a marginal one, 40-35 Nunes overall

ROUND FIVE: Well Aldana needs a miracle. They touch gloves. Nunes lands a jab and avoids a one two. Bit of a one two from Nunes. Aldana avoids a takedown and lands a knee to the body, but Nunes tries another takedown and gets it along the fence. Full guard for Aldana. Some punches from Nunes land, she’s mostly just icing the clock. Some uppercuts from Nunes. Nunes lands an elbow. They trade some punches on the mat but Nunes is in firm control. Nunes passes to half guard, then into full mount. Aldana is able to hip escape and get half guard but Nunes moves back to full mount. Some punches from Nunes as Aldana gets half guard. Nunes is half trying to set up an arm triangle but Aldana is hip to it and avoids the attack. Aldana shrimps to half guard. A few more punches from Nunes, then she unloads to the body and head with punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Nunes, 50-43 Nunes overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – and STILL UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Amanda Nunes via unanimous decision (50-43, 50-44 x2)

Total domination from Nunes, Aldana was never in the fight. Mic time for Nunes, she gets someone to help take her gloves off and lays down both of her titles in the cage. She’s the double champion forever and says she has a ton of title defenses and is ready to retire. She places her gloves between her title belts then kisses each one, overcome with emotion. Asked about the decision to retire she says her mother asked her to hang them up, and her wife has been thinking about stopping it so they can just enjoy their lives together. She’s looking forward to spending time with her family, and thanks the UFC brass and all the personnel who make the shows happen. To close she reminds us that she comes from the smallest of places in Brazil, and retires as the last Brazilian champion in the UFC right now and tells the rest of the Brazilian fighters to get their stuff together and take a belt. Wait, that wasn’t the end of it, now she puts over several of her coaches.

We had to know that was coming sooner rather than later, it’s still a little surreal to see someone of that stature retire while still being that good.

Well on that note UFC 289 comes to a close. Thank you for reading, be that live or after the fact. We’ll unpack all of this on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast, plus looking ahead to UFC on ESPN 47 when Marvin Vettori and Jared Cannonier battle for middleweight position. I’ll be back for that event next week and I hope you will as well. Until then thank you again, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.