UFC 289 won’t host the planned Amanda Nunes vs Julianna Pena trilogy fight after the latter’s rib injury, but it remains a great promotion from a betting perspective with Irene Aldana stepping in to contest the women’s bantamweight strap.
Deposed lightweight king Charles Oliveira’s comeback clash against Beneil Dariush co-headlines in Vancouver and both fights look to be set up nicely for punters, with the underdogs underrated at the odds,
UFC 289 Betting Tips
Nunes vs Aldana – At least three rounds completed @ 21/20
Oliveira vs Dariush – Oliveira to win @ 6/5
Bet on the latest MMA Odds from Betzone
Stand-in Aldana has the staying power to take ‘The Lioness’ deep
Amanda Nunes has been one of the most dominant female fighters in UFC, with her shock submission defeat to Julianna Pen the sole reverse in her last 14 visits to the Octagon.
She avenged that defeat with a decision W at UFC 277 and would have been on course to end the debate between the pair at this promotion before Pena pulled out with busted ribs.
Step forward seasoned campaigner Irene Aldana, a fighter that has struggled (and failed) to make the bantamweight limit at which this fight will be contested in her last two outings.
Aldana is the 11/4 dog against the bantamweight boss but despite the late call up her record suggests she’s sufficiently resolute to take the title-holder at least as far as the fourth.
The daughter of Guadalajara has won nine of her last 13 fights, with the three losses she suffered during that period all coming via the judges’ scorecards.
For all Nunes’ fabled power, her last stoppage win came six fights back, with three of her four wins since coming on points and one via submission. Teak tough replacement Aldana has the resistance to last at least three rounds, with the 11/8 about her lasting four sorely tempting.
Tip: Nunes vs Aldana – At least three rounds completed @ 21/20
Oliveira an undeserved underdog after rare defeat to phenom
Three fights back Charles Oliveira was successfully defending his UFC lightweight strap for the first time. Two fights ago he was defeating Justin Gaethje to record his 12th straight octagon win, extending his UFC record for most finishes (19) and submissions (16).
Last time out he was beaten by Islam Makhachev, but the Daghestani disciple of the great Kabib Nurmagomedov is a rare talent, having won all bar one of his 25 MMA bouts to date – losing to him is no indication of deterioration.
All in all Oliveira can feel aggrieved to return as the outsider in the betting against Dariush, even if the Iranian fighter is riding an eight-match win streak into the contest.
The son of Sao Paulo remains tremendously dangerous in both striking and submission terms and can be trusted to remind everyone that he is still an elite fighter here, bookies included.
Tip: Oliveira vs Dariush – Oliveira to win @ 6/5
