UFC 250 RESULTS: Amanda Nunes outclasses resilient Felicia Spencer to retain featherweight title
Re-live the action from the UFC’s Apex Facility in Las Vegas
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The world was a very different place when Amanda Nunes last lost, in 2014. The world was a very different place last week.
But this week, one in which societal structures were questioned and challenged all around the world, a certain established order remained undisrupted: the top of the UFC’s women’s featherweight division.
Nunes, the greatest women’s MMA fighter of all time, was expected to dismiss challenger Felicia Spencer with ease in the main event of UFC 250, and the Brazilian did exactly that.
The UFC’s Apex Facility in Las Vegas holds a smaller Octagon than fighters are used to occupying, and that meant even less space for Spencer to breathe as Nunes perfectly combined poise, precision and pressure to secure a unanimous decision win and walk away with the featherweight title still nestled comfortably on her shoulder.
On the other shoulder sat Nunes’ bantamweight title, and Saturday’s victory saw the 32-year-old become the first UFC champion to retain titles in two weight classes while holding both championships at the same time.
Spencer showed resilience to make it to the end of the 25-minute main event after absorbing heavy head strikes and being thrown to the canvas repeatedly, but beyond that, there was little to celebrate for the Canadian, who became just another number in Nunes’ 20-4 record, her 11-fight win streak, and her sparkling legacy.
What’s next for Nunes is unclear. She and fiancee Nina Ansaroff are set to welcome a child later this year, and Nunes has nothing left to prove in the ring.
Her record includes first-round knockout victories over Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg and Holly Holm, a stoppage of Raquel Pennington, a submission win over Miesha Tate, and decision victories against Germaine de Randamie and Valentina Shevchenko – the latter of whom she beat twice.
No one could forgive Nunes for calling time on her unparalleled career after her latest triumph, with few challenges visible on the horizon.
In the card’s co-main event, former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt beat Raphael Assuncao with a show-stopping buzzer-beater knockout at the end of the second round.
It was an essential win for ‘No Love’, who ended a three-fight skid of consecutive knockout losses to earn his first victory since beating Dominick Cruz for the bantamweight belt in 2016.
The result will propel Garbrandt back up the 135lbs division, in which there were other impressive moments in Las Vegas. Aljamain Sterling was clinical in submitting Cory Sandhagen early in the first round of their clash, surely establishing himself as No. 1 contender for the vacant strap, while ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley – a star in the making – floored Eddie Wineland for a first-round walk-off KO in the card’s curtain-raiser.
Re-live all the action:
What time does it start in the UK?
Due to the time difference between Las Vegas and the UK, UFC 250 will get underway in the early hours of Sunday 7 June for UK fans.
The preliminary card begins at 1am BST, with the main card following at 3am BST.
Expect the main event between Brazil’s Nunes and Canadian Spencer to start around 4.30am BST.
How can I watch it?
The card will be shown live on BT Sport 1 in the UK. Viewers will need a BT Sport subscription, though the event itself is not pay-per-view.
The whole card will also be available for subscribers to stream via the BT Sport website and app.
US fans can tune in via ESPN+.
What’s the full card?
Main card:
Amanda Nunes (C) vs Felicia Spencer (women’s featherweight title)
Cody Garbrandt vs Raphael Assuncao (bantamweight)
Aljamain Sterling vs Cory Sandhagen (bantamweight)
Neil Magny vs Tony Martin (welterweight)
Sean O’Malley vs Eddie Wineland (bantamweight)
Prelims:
Alex Caceres vs Chase Hooper (featherweight)
Ian Heinisch vs Gerald Meerschaert (middleweight)
Cody Stamann vs. Brian Kelleher (featherweight)
Charles Byrd vs. Maki Pitolo (middleweight)
Nunes lands a series of good punches and elbows as Spencer struggles to find a safe entry.
Nunes lands a clean, short left hook, then rocks Spencer! But the challenger's mouthguard comes out and the action is stopped momentarily...
A let-off there as Spencer is given a moment to recover.
Nunes is so confident right now. She has Spencer backed up against the cage and is mixing up her offence beautifully.
Spencer is starting to shoot for takedowns with no set-up. That is not going to work against Nunes.
Nunes has landed some good leg kicks in this round and Spencer is struggling to stand properly, let alone move.
We'll head to a fourth.
Spencer went five rounds with Cris Cyborg and had her moments in that fight. She has 10 minutes to produce something here, but don't hold out hope.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments