Breaking: Amanda Nunes vs. Irene Aldana in the works for UFC 285 on March 4
It looks like UFC 285 will feature three championship bouts as Amanda Nunes is reportedly set to defend her bantamweight championship against Irene Aldana in the co-main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This will mark Nunes' first bantamweight title defense since defeating Julianna Pena via unanimous decision to regain the title at UFC 277. The win was significant as she became a simultaneous two-division champion for the second time in her career.
Combate MMA journalist Raphael Marinho reported that 'Lioness' will be defending her bantamweight championship at the event.
Aldana will look to pull of an upset in her first UFC title shot. She is currently riding a two-fight winning streak with both fights ending via KO/TKO stoppages. It's important to note that both fights were catchweight bouts as she missed weight when she fought Yana Kunitskaya and her most recent bout with Macy Chiasson was contested at a 140lb catchweight.
The event will now feature three title fights as Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane will compete for the vacant heavyweight championship, Valentina Shevchenko will defend her women's flyweight championship against Alexa Grasso, and now Nunes will defend her women's bantamweight championship against Irene Aldana.
Is the UFC setting the stage for Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko 3?
The news of Amanda Nunes defending her women's bantamweight championship at UFC 285 comes at an interesting time.
The event will also feature Valentina Shevchenko defending her women's flyweight championship against Alexa Grasso. The timing is interesting, especially considering they have both been linked to a potential trilogy bout.
'Lioness' defending her women's bantamweight championship against Irene Aldana as opposed to her women's featherweight championship could be a sign that the UFC is thinking long-term and could be setting the stage for a trilogy bout between two of the greatest female MMA fighters of all-time.
If 'Bullet' successfully retains her title in decisive fashion, it wouldn't be far-fetched for her to use her post-fight interview to call-out the women's bantamweight champion.
'Lioness' could then do the same should she retain against Aldana and the promotion could have a much easier time booking the trilogy because they will have just fought on the same event.