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Teddy Atlas compares Julianna Pena's victory over Amanda Nunes to Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson

Julianna Pena vs. Amanda Nunes (left); Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson (right) [Photo via @ufc on IG & @BleacherReport on Twitter]
Julianna Pena vs. Amanda Nunes (left); Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson (right) [Photo via @ufc on IG & @BleacherReport on Twitter]

Boxing trainer and fight commentator Teddy Atlas has likened Julianna Pena's UFC 269 victory over Amanda Nunes to Buster Douglas' upset over Mike Tyson.

Douglas, of course, staged what many believe is the single biggest upset in sports history when he knocked out Tyson on February 11, 1990. In the same vein, Pena finished Nunes – who closed as the -900 prohibitive betting favorite – to become the new UFC women's bantamweight champion.

During an episode of The Fight with Teddy Atlas, the iconic commentator reflected upon last Saturday's events. Regarding the co-main event of UFC 269, Atlas said:

"The first comparison that comes to you is Buster Douglas and [Mike] Tyson. When you think of the enormity of the upset, you know. But I was surprised they didn't mention one that was pretty d*mn enormous right in their own sport. And that was [Holly] Holm and [Ronda] Rousey. People forget how dominant Rousey was. I mean, Rousey was a monster. I mean, she was Godzilla and when she got stopped and beaten... she got beat by Holly Holm, who was a former [boxer]."
5 years ago today, Holly Holm knocked out Ronda Rousey and shocked the world 🦵 💥
https://t.co/RQYy1shxeI

Atlas also compared Pena's win to Holly Holm's upset over Ronda Rousey at UFC 193. However, that comparison is flawed as Holm was the superior striker to begin with. Unlike that scenario, Pena's win was more surprising given Nunes's body of work that speaks to her proficiency in each aspect of MMA.

Check out Teddy Atlas's take on Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena:


Chael Sonnen correctly predicted that Julianna Pena vs. Amanda Nunes would play out like Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson

Ahead of UFC 269, Chael Sonnen made a bold statement when he said there's potential for Julianna Pena vs. Amanda Nunes to play out like Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson. According to 'The American Gangster':

"I'm talking about Julianna Pena, who is the single greatest threat to Amanda's throne there's ever been... This has all the makings of every sports upset we have ever seen. This has all the makings of Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson."

Sonnen, who is often ridiculed for picking the wrong fighters to win, was proven right when Pena scored an upset for the ages.

Watch Chael Sonnen reveal his prediction for Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena:

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