Amanda Nunes did what she promised
to get her revenge and that's exactly what happened. Amanda Nunes reclaimed her
place as the most dominant woman in mixed martial arts, winning back the
women's bantamweight championship with a five-round unanimous decision over
Julianna Peña in the main event of UFC 277 on Saturday night. She lost last
December.
It was Pena's (12-5) first title
defense in the 135-pound division in a UFC 277 main event fight.
Amanda Nunes "The Lioness"
took Pena apart with her speed and accuracy in the opening round before truly
putting on a clinic on the feet in the second. Nunes dropped Pena three times
in the second round, twice with a right hook and then with a left forearm.
Nunes took Pena down midway through the third round and laid him on the mat,
opening up cuts along Pena's hairline with punches to the head that spattered
blood on the mat.
Nunes again had Pena on his back for
most of the fourth and fifth rounds. Pena's face was covered in blood, which
stained most of the mat. The strategy remained the same for Nunes for the final
five minutes as she simply kept Pena on the ground and then controlled the
action from there. Nunes continued to hammer Pena until she became bantamweight
champion again.
The judges scored the fight 50-45,
50-44 and 50-43 as Nunes became a two-time title holder at 135 pounds and
became a simultaneous two-division champion while also capturing featherweight
gold.
Nunes said after his win. "I know you
guys want to see me back, but let the 'Tioness' rest a little and I'll be back
as soon as possible. Let me sit down, let me go back to Brazil. I lost my
family because of the pandemic. Haven't seen in three years, and I need a
little rest anyway."
Nunes also made history by teaming
up with Deives Figueiredo to win his title in an instant rematch for being a
former champion. Nunes improved to 22-5 overall and joined Juliana Pena on a
hit list that boasts Valentina Shevchenko (twice), Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm,
Miesha Tate and Germaine de Randamie. Pena fell to 11-5 overall as a
professional.
Brandon Moreno won the co-main event
with a third-round TKO over Kai Kara France in a scheduled five-round bout to
capture the men's interim flyweight championship belt.
You can watch all the results and
highlights from UFC 277 below.
UFC 277 card and results
- Amanda Nunes def. Julianna Pena (c) via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-44, 50-43)
- Brandon Moreno (ic) def. Kai Kara-France via third-round TKO (kick, punches)
- Sergei Pavlovich def. Derrick Lewis via first-round TKO (punches)
- Alexandre Pantoja def. Alex Perez via first-round submission (rear naked choke)
- Magomed Ankalaev def. Anthony Smith via second-round TKO (punches)
- Alex Morono def. Matthew Semelsberger via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Drew Dober def. Rafael Alves via third-round knockout (punch)
- Hamdy Abdelwahab def. Don'Tale Mayes via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Drakkar Klose def. Rafa Garcia via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Michael Morales def. Adam Fugitt via third-round TKO (punches)
- Joselyne Edwards def. Ji Yeon Kim via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
- Nicolae Negumereanu def. Ihor Potieria second-round TKO (knees)
- Orion Cosce def. Blood Diamond via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)