UFC 259: Megan Anderson vs Amanda Nunes Picks, Odds, and Predictions

Amanda Nunes and Megan Anderson fight Saturday in UFC 259 at the UFC APEX.

Amanda Nunes enters this fight with a 20-4 record and has won 65 percent of her fights by knockout. Nunes has won her last 11 fights and is coming off a June win over Felicia Spencer. Nunes is averaging 4.44 significant strikes per minute with an accuracy percentage of 51 percent. Nunes is averaging 2.53 takedowns with an accuracy percentage of 53 percent. Nunes is coming off a decision win at UFC 250 where she landed 132 total strikes, 57 percent of her significant strikes and produced six takedowns. Nunes has now won four of her five career decisions and still hasn’t lost a fight since UFC 178. Nunes is an accurate striker who cuts off the octagon and can land bombs when she has her opponent on her heels. Nunes is also a black belt in BJJ and is effective when she looks for takedowns. Nunes is as balanced as anybody in the sport with a high IQ and ability to end the fight on her terms while getting the fight she wants. Nunes hasn’t lost a fight in nearly seven years, producing one of the best stretches we’ve seen in the UFC. This will be Nunes’ eighth career fight in Las Vegas.

Megan Anderson enters this fight with a 11-4 record and has won 55 percent of her fights by knockout. Anderson has won six of her last eight fights and is coming off a February (2020) win over Norma Dumont Viana. Anderson is averaging 1.82 significant strikes per minute with an accuracy percentage of 46 percent. Anderson is averaging 0.56 takedowns with an accuracy percentage of 33 percent. Anderson is coming off a first round knockout win at UFC Fight Night 169 that earned performance of the night honors. Anderson is now 3-2 under the UFc banner and all three of her victories have been finishes. Anderson is a lengthy fighter who stands at 6’0” and is a striker at heart who is best standing up. Anderson puts together really clean combinations and has some pop behind her hands, and she uses her legs well. Anderson has produced knockouts in six of her last seven wins. Anderson could certainly improve her speed and overall aggressiveness, but she’s certainly worthy and capable of holding her own with some of the better strikers within this division. This will be Anderson’s first career fight in Las Vegas.

Anderson has the raw striking power that gives her a punchers chance in this fight, but it’s nothing Nunes hasn’t seen already. There’s nothing Anderson can do with Nunes in this fight, and she’s simply not polished or experienced enough against quality competition to really like her chances. Nunes has the edge pretty much everywhere in this bout and is likely going to catch Anderson with something in the early rounds.

I’ll take Nunes by knockout to turn a ridiculous ML price into even money.