UFC 289 Predictions: Amanda Nunes vs. Irene Aldana
UFC 289 is set to be held in Vancouver, marking the promotion’s return to Canada after a hiatus of four years. The event features an exciting championship headliner, with Amanda Nunes defending her women’s bantamweight championship title against Irene Aldana, while Beneil Dariush and Charles Oliveira have a potential lightweight title fight. The co-main event should produce an unforgettable performance too. Let’s take a closer look at the full fight card with the latest odds and predictions.
Full Fight Card and Odds
The fight card, along with the current odds from Caesars Sportsbook, are listed below:
- Amanda Nunes -320 vs. Irene Aldana +250 (Women’s Bantamweight Championship)
- Beneil Dariush -150 vs. Charles Oliveira +126 (Lightweights)
- Mike Malott -220 vs. Adam Fugitt +180 (Welterweights)
- Dan Ige -260 vs. Nate Landwehr +210 (Featherweights)
- Marc-Andre Barriault -135 vs. Eryk Anders +115 (Middleweights)
Expert Predictions and Picks
Experts at CBS Sports have shared their picks for the main card. Following are their predictions:
| Expert | Nunes (c) vs. Aldana | Oliveira vs. Dariush | Malott vs. Fugitt | Ige vs. Landwehr | Barriault vs Anders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell | Nunes | Oliveira | Malott | Landwehr | Barriault |
| Brookhouse | Nunes | Oliveira | Malott | Ige | Barriault |
| Mahjouri | Nunes | Dariush | Malott | Ige | Anders |
| Mormile | Nunes | Dariush | Malott | Ige | Barriault |
| Wise | Nunes | Oliveira | Malott | Ige | Anders |
Predicted Winner: Amanda Nunes
Amanda Nunes is the well-rounded fighter and dangerous finisher of the two, making her the woman entering the bout with more options for attack. Her opponent, Irene Aldana, is a dangerous fighter, but she has issues with her grappling, which Nunes could exploit. Nunes should take over the fight by the second round.
Predicted Winner: Charles Oliveira
Charles Oliveira is better at making adjustments in a fight and figuring out a way to flip his opponent’s strategy into his own path to success. In Dariush, Oliveira faces someone who is looking to make his break to the elite, but Oliveira is just a bit better than Dariush when it comes to flipping a fight instantly either with striking or his submission game.
Predicted Winner: Dan Ige
Ige is a very good fighter and hard to beat on sheer toughness. Landwehr is dogged, but it won’t be easy for him as Ige has been matched against some of the division’s best. Though Landwehr has a crazy work rate, Ige’s power is not something Landwehr should trifle with, and Ige will likely land a fight-ending bomb.
Final Thoughts
As always, Saturday night’s fights will be thrilling, and determining the prediction for each fight is quite tricky. However, Amanda Nunes seems to have an edge in the women’s bantamweight championship, and Charles Oliveira is predicted to win the lightweight matchup based on their form and history.
The undercard and predicted winners of UFC 289 offer fans the chance to watch some of the UFC‘s best in action and a potential fight of the year contender.
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