Amanda Nunes and Megan Anderson face off on Saturday in a woman’s flyweight title bout for the co-main event of UFC 259 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Amanda “Lioness” Nunes comes into this fight with a 20-4 record overall and coming into this game she has won 11 straight fights. Each of the last eight fights for Nunes has resulted in her claiming another belt. Nunes really hasn’t been tested the last few years, but each of the last two fights she hasn’t been able to finish the fight. Nunes last fight came against Felicia Spencer in June of 2020 and in that fight she outstruck her opponent 124-42. Nunes also had six takedowns in that fight. Nunes is averaging 4.44 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 2.47 significant strikes per minute. Nunes is also averaging 2.53 successful takedowns every 15 minutes. Nunes is successful on 53 percent of her takedown attempts and also stops 84 percent of her opponents' takedown attempts.
On the other side of this matchup is Megan Anderson who comes into this game with an 11-4 record overall and she has won each of her last two fights. Anderson’s last fight came against Norma Durmont and it was early in the first round that she was able to win the fight by knockout. Anderson’s last loss came against Felicia Spencer and in that fight, she got caught in a bad position and she lost by a rear-naked choke. Anderson is averaging 1.82 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 2.94 significant strikes per minute. Anderson is only averaging 0.56 takedowns every 15 minutes and she is only successful 33 percent of the time. Anderson also is averaging 0.6 submission attempts every 15 minutes.
There isn’t really a whole lot of value in this fight. Megan Anderson is a big time underdog, but she really has zero chance to win this fight. Nunes is going to have no issues winning this fight and she will do it by knockout, but there isn’t a whole lot of value with that play either. Nunes is a good parlay option, but not one I would bet by itself.
AUTHOR: Shane Mickle
