Amanda Nunes retired after defeating Irene Aldana at UFC 289

After years of her most dominant performances, the greatest women’s fighter of all time announced her retirement at UFC 289 on Saturday in Vancouver.

“A double champion forever,” Nunes said. “It’s a perfect night to rest.”

Nunes defeated Irene Aldana via unanimous decision (50-43, 50-44, 50-44) in the main event of the pay-per-view card, which Nunes won every minute of in a comprehensive performance. With the win, Nunes defended her UFC women’s bantamweight title. She is also the UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion. And he will vacate both belts when he retires.

Aldana was a complementary antagonist. Former champion Juliana Pena was scheduled to fight Nunes in a trilogy fight on Saturday, but was forced to pull out after breaking her ribs.

Nunes is ESPN’s top pound-for-pound women’s fighter. ESPN ranked the world no. Ranked 6th. Nunes is one of only four fighters in UFC history to hold two divisional titles at the same time — a man or a woman, a man or a woman, a man or a woman.

Nunes (23-5) regained the bantamweight title in his previous fight, a unanimous decision over Pena at UFC 277 last July. Pena ended Nunes’ UFC women’s record 12-fight winning streak and title reign at UFC 269 in December 2021.

Nunes, 35, has the most UFC women’s title wins in history (11) and the most wins in UFC women’s history (10). The Brazilian-born fighter, who trains out of Florida, has defeated every other contender to win the UFC women’s featherweight and bantamweight titles, including Cris Cyborg, Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm. She owns two wins over former UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko.

Aldana (14-6) has won two straight and has come in seven of his last nine fights. The Mexican-born fighter had finished his last three wins via KO/TKO. Aldana, 35, has a 7-5 UFC record.

Nunes spent 10 years in the UFC, amassing a 16-2 record.