Amanda Nunes‘s original opponent, Julianna Peña, has been forced out of their upcoming bantamweight championship trilogy bout due to injury, and top contender Irene Aldana will replace her.
Amanda Nunes has a new challenger for UFC 289 as UFC President Dana White announced on Tuesday that Nunes’ originally scheduled opponent, Julianna Peña, has been forced out of their upcoming bantamweight championship trilogy bout on June 10 in Vancouver, Canada, due to injury. Replacing Peña is top contender Irene Aldana. White revealed that Peña broke her ribs and is unable to compete. This was supposed to be the third meeting between Nunes and Peña, with Peña winning in a shocking upset via submission at UFC 269 to become champion, and Nunes avenging that loss and regaining her title at UFC 277 with a dominant five-round performance.
Before her loss to Peña, Nunes successfully defended the bantamweight title five consecutive times and is also the UFC’s reigning featherweight champion. On the other hand, Aldana was previously scheduled for a rematch against Raquel Pennington on May 20 that likely would have decided a new No. 1 contender. However, she now moves directly into a championship opportunity. The Mexican standout has won two straight fights and four of her past five, although she has not actually fought at 135 pounds in either of her past two contests.
This past September, Aldana won a scheduled 140-pound catchweight fight against Macy Chiasson with a spectacular upkick to the body knockout. Prior to that, she scored a first-round TKO of Yana Santos after missing weight by more than three pounds. At this time, it is not yet known if Pennington will receive a new opponent for May 20. UFC 289 is set to take place at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada, with former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira fighting Beneil Dariush in the co-main event.