The world was a very different place when Amanda Nunes last lost, in 2014. The world was a very different place last week.
But this week, one in which societal structures were questioned and challenged all around the world, a certain established order remained undisrupted: the top of the UFC‘s women’s featherweight division.
Nunes, the greatest women’s MMA fighter of all time, was expected to dismiss challenger Felicia Spencer with ease in the main event of UFC 250, and the Brazilian did exactly that.
The UFC’s Apex Facility in Las Vegas holds a smaller Octagon than fighters are used to occupying, and that meant even less space for Spencer to breathe as Nunes perfectly combined poise, precision and pressure to secure a unanimous decision win and walk away with the featherweight title still nestled comfortably on her shoulder.
On the other shoulder sat Nunes’ bantamweight title, and Saturday’s victory saw the 32-year-old become the first UFC champion to retain titles in two weight classes while holding both championships at the same time.
Spencer showed resilience to make it to the end of the 25-minute main event after absorbing heavy head strikes and being thrown to the canvas repeatedly, but beyond that, there was little to celebrate for the Canadian, who became just another number in Nunes’ 20-4 record, her 11-fight win streak, and her sparkling legacy.
What’s next for Nunes is unclear. She and fiancee Nina Ansaroff are set to welcome a child later this year, and Nunes has nothing left to prove in the ring.
Her record includes first-round knockout victories over Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg and Holly Holm, a stoppage of Raquel Pennington, a submission win over Miesha Tate, and decision victories against Germaine de Randamie and Valentina Shevchenko – the latter of whom she beat twice.
No one could forgive Nunes for calling time on her unparalleled career after her latest triumph, with few challenges visible on the horizon.
In the card’s co-main event, former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt beat Raphael Assuncao with a show-stopping buzzer-beater knockout at the end of the second round.
It was an essential win for ‘No Love’, who ended a three-fight skid of consecutive knockout losses to earn his first victory since beating Dominick Cruz for the bantamweight belt in 2016.
The result will propel Garbrandt back up the 135lbs division, in which there were other impressive moments in Las Vegas. Aljamain Sterling was clinical in submitting Cory Sandhagen early in the first round of their clash, surely establishing himself as No. 1 contender for the vacant strap, while ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley – a star in the making – floored Eddie Wineland for a first-round walk-off KO in the card’s curtain-raiser.
Re-live all the action:
That's all from us, thank you for following along! We'll be back for UFC 251 next month!
Nunes looked as good as we know she is. Garbrandt produced a hellish buzzer-beater KO to end his skid. Sterling set up a title shot with a clinical, early submission win. O'Malley added a walk-off KO to his resume.
Nunes moves to 20-4 with an 11-fight win streak, having not lost since 2014.
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Nunes hands Spencer the belt. Spencer is torn between smiling and crying.
Never in doubt.
And that's that.
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The doctors are checking on Spencer with a minute left in the fight.
Nunes is cruising to the finish line now. Spencer's face is smeared with blood from ear to ear and brow to chin.
Nunes spins round to the back of Spencer and lands some hammer fists,
Nice sprawl from Nunes as Spencer shoots in desperation.
Spencer has absorbed 76 head shots.
Is there any point in Spencer going out for the fifth? She cannot win this fight and she's getting hurt badly now.
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Spencer falls to the mat and Nunes takes the back! She locks in a rear naked choke, but time runs out in the round!
Mean right hand lands for Nunes, and she follows up with another. Somehow Spencer comes back with a flurry!
Nunes lands a stinging leg kick and then a clean one-two.
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Spencer is back to her feet as we enter the fourth minute of the fourth round.
Another takedown for Nunes.
Beautiful spinning heel kick to the body lands for the champion.
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Spencer deserves credit for her resilience. She's still present and is even getting creative with her offence. It's just not landing with enough impact.
A straight right hand snaps back Spencer's head.
Due to the time difference between Las Vegas and the UK, UFC 250 will get underway in the early hours of Sunday 7 June for UK fans.
The preliminary card begins at 1am BST, with the main card following at 3am BST.
Expect the main event between Brazil’s Nunes and Canadian Spencer to start around 4.30am BST.
The card will be shown live on BT Sport 1 in the UK. Viewers will need a BT Sport subscription, though the event itself is not pay-per-view.
The whole card will also be available for subscribers to stream via the BT Sport website and app.
US fans can tune in via ESPN+.
Main card:
Amanda Nunes (C) vs Felicia Spencer (women’s featherweight title)
Cody Garbrandt vs Raphael Assuncao (bantamweight)
Aljamain Sterling vs Cory Sandhagen (bantamweight)
Neil Magny vs Tony Martin (welterweight)
Sean O’Malley vs Eddie Wineland (bantamweight)
Prelims:
Alex Caceres vs Chase Hooper (featherweight)
Ian Heinisch vs Gerald Meerschaert (middleweight)
Cody Stamann vs. Brian Kelleher (featherweight)
Charles Byrd vs. Maki Pitolo (middleweight)
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