MMAOB staff writer Adam Martin takes a deeper look at the main event of UFC 250, a five-round UFC women’s featherweight title bout between champion Amanda Nunes and challenger Felicia Spencer. The event takes place on Saturday, June 6 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Amanda Nunes (-650)
Nunes (19-4) is the UFC women’s featherweight and bantamweight champion. The 32-year-old Brazilian has an incredible 12-1 record in the UFC and she is the top pound-for-pound fighter in women’s MMA. Some of her notable wins include Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, Germaine De Randamie, Valentina Shevchenko, and Holly Holm. She is currently riding a 10-fight win streak and has not lost since 2014 against Cat Zingano. Nunes is, quite simply, the most well-rounded women’s fighter in the game with deadly striking on the feet, a vicious submission game, quality wrestling, a good chin, and great cardio. There are very few flaws in her game and that’s why you see the oddsmakers giving her so much respect here. On paper, it’s her fight to lose.
Felicia Spencer (+475)
Spencer (8-1) is the top contender in the UFC women’s featherweight division. The 29-year-old Canadian is 2-1 in the UFC with wins over Megan Anderson and Zarah Fairn dos Santos, with a loss to Cris Cyborg. Spencer is the former Invicta FC women’s featherweight champion, having gone 6-0 in Invicta after beginning her MMA career in 2015. She is a fairly well-rounded fighter who tends to want to go to the mat, where she has a dangerous submission game and heavy ground and pound. In the Cyborg fight, we saw Spencer on the feet and she showed off a great chin and toughness but didn’t display much in the way of her own striking. If she wants to shock the world and defeat Nunes, she will have to put it all together for this fight. There’s no doubt Spencer is a talented fighter, but the odds suggest she is biting off more than she can chew here.
Fight Breakdown: As the betting line suggests, this fight looks to be a huge mismatch when you look at it on paper. Nunes has so much more experience against elite fighters and has proven over the years to be a dominant fighter at both 135lbs and 145lbs. Spencer has looked good except for the Cyborg fight, but all of her wins came over poor competition. Stylistically, Nunes should have a huge striking advantage and on the ground she should be able to match anything Spencer throws at her. I just really don’t see a path for victory for Spencer here. Especially in a five-round fight where Nunes has proven she can go the full 25 minutes, this matchup just really favors the champion. The question is, does Nunes finish the fight or does it go to a decision? I’m leaning towards a finish here. Although Spencer took Cyborg’s best shots for 15 minutes, this fight is two rounds longer and Nunes is more dangerous at this point in her career. I expect Nunes to have her way with Spencer on the feet and finish her within the first round or two in yet another dominant title defense.
Prediction: Amanda Nunes via TKO
