5 questions that will be answered at UFC 289: Nunes vs. Aldana

The UFC is back in Canada this weekend. UFC 289: Nunes vs. Aldana will be underway at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver this Saturday, with an explosive line-up of fights on tap.

Two-division queen Amanda Nunes will look to defend her bantamweight title against surging Mexican Irene Aldana in the main event after top-ranked lightweights Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush clash in the co-headliner. The rest of the card has no shortage of intriguing contests, featuring many Canadian fighters.

On that note, here are five questions that will be answered at UFC 289: Nunes vs. Aldana.

---

#5. Which Canadian fighters will steal the show at UFC 289?

UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre is the flag-bearer for Canadian MMA, but since the former two-division champion's retirement, the North American nation hasn't produced any champions.

The next generation of Canadian MMA stars is set to feature at UFC 289 this weekend, and a big win on Saturday in front of their compatriots could prove to be the perfect platform to make a name for themselves.

Canadian fighters Marc Andre-Barriault, Aiemann Zahabi, Kyle Nelson, and Jasmine Jasudavicius will fight at UFC 289 [Images via @erykanders, @aiemannzahabi, @iridiumsportsagency & @fearthemaverick on Instagram]

Canadian featherweight Kyle Nelson will fight in the early prelims, taking on Blake Bilder. Jasmine Jasudavicius has fought just once professionally on home soil and will have her work cut out for her against American prospect Miranda Maverick.

Elsewhere on the prelims, Aiemann Zahabi, brother of legendary Canadian coach Firas Zahabi, will take on 'The Mongolian Murderer' Qileng Aori. Quebec native Marc-Andre Barriault will kick off the pay-per-view main card, squaring off against Eryk Anders.

'Proper' Mike Malott will lead the way for the Canadian fighters at UFC 289, looking to record his third straight win in the promotion when he takes on Adam Fugitt, just before the blockbuster co-main and main events.

---

#4. Who will return to winning ways – Chris Curtis or Nassourdine Imavov?

Set to cap off the preliminary card, ranked middleweight contenders Chris Curtis and Nassourdine Imavov will lock horns at UFC 289 in Vancouver, Canada. Both fighters are coming off decision losses earlier this year and will be itching to return to the win column.

Chris Curtis came up short against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 287 in Miami, losing a razor-close decision to the former title challenger. Meanwhile, Nassourdine Imavov suffered his second octagon loss in the first event of 2023, losing to Curtis' teammate and top-ranked middleweight Sean Strickland.

Imavov and Curtis occupy the No.12 and No.14 spots in the 185-pound rankings respectively. With both fighters eager to break into the divisional top 10 and avoid a losing skid, this a pivotal fight. It's a fantastic matchup as well, with both middleweights being dangerous strikers.

The top tier of the middleweight division needs fresh blood amidst Israel Adesanya's reign, and a win for either fighter here could see them land a top-ranked opponent next.

---

#3. Is Nate Landwehr a championship-caliber fighter?

Hardcore MMA fans knew Nate Landwehr long before he signed with the UFC. The all-action American made a name for himself in Russia, at M-1 Global, before joining the world's premier MMA promotion in 2019.

'Nate The Train' has already picked up four wins inside the famed octagon, earning post-fight bonuses in his last three fights. Landwehr's infectious post-fight promos have only added to his popularity and he is emerging as a fan favorite.

The 35-year-old will look to break into the featherweight top 15 when he takes on promotional veteran Dan Ige, who has been a gatekeeper to the 145-pound elite for quite some time now. Ige has only lost to the best and has never been finished in his professional career, so Landwehr won't have it easy by any means.

This mouthwatering matchup has flown under the radar throughout fight week, but fireworks will undoubtedly ensue on Saturday night. Will Ige hold on to his No.13 ranking, or is 'Nate The Train' coming for the top 15?

---

#2. Can Beneil Dariush seal a shot at gold?

Beneil Dariush's road to a shot at gold has been long and arduous. Once considered an average lightweight nowhere near the title picture, Dariush has truly blossomed into a world-class 155-pounder and is now one win away from his maiden championship opportunity in the UFC.

Standing in Beneil Dariush's way is former lightweight king Charles Oliveira, who also endured a turbulent run before ultimately winning UFC gold. Oliveira lost to current 155-pound champion Islam Makhachev last year and is hungry to reclaim his title.

This bout is all but guaranteed to deliver the goods, with both fighters gunning for Makhachev's belt. Dariush has won his last eight fights and has a ton of momentum behind him, but will face a stiff task in Oliveira, the most lethal finisher and submission specialist in the UFC.

Dariush isn't one to cut promos and engage in trash talk, so earning a title shot will come solely through his in-cage performance. He foresees "absolute domination" against 'do Bronx', and if he pulls it off, an October date with Makhachev in Abu Dhabi will essentially be set in stone.

---

#1. Will Irene Aldana dethrone the women's MMA GOAT?

It's hard to argue against Amanda Nunes' status as the greatest female fighter of all time. 'The Lioness' has beaten the who's who of women's MMA, including eight former champions. The champ-champ is undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer, but she's in for a tough test this weekend.

Irene Aldana has slowly but surely emerged as a threat to Amanda Nunes' bantamweight throne. Earlier in her career, the Mexican largely eked out decision wins and was quite inconsistent with her performances. However, over the last few years, Aldana has honed her fight-ending ability.

KO/TKO wins over Ketlen Vieira, Yana Santos and Macy Chiasson vaulted Aldana to a title shot, and while she does possess power in her fists, Nunes isn't lacking in that department either. These two women are perhaps the hardest-hitting female bantamweights on the planet, which should make for a fun fight.

Nunes looked off against Julianna Pena in 2021 but returned with a vengeance to reclaim her belt last year. Questions surrounding her motivation to compete still linger, but she seems keen on continuing to reign over the bantamweight division.

Aldana appears to be the only real challenge for 'The Lioness' at 135 pounds. The challenger cannot be counted out and will be brimming with confidence, especially after seeing her teammate Alexa Grasso shock the world with her win over Valentina Shevchenko earlier this year.

Nunes can further cement her legacy this weekend or could fall victim to the ongoing surge in Mexican MMA.

Amanda Nunes (left) and Irene Aldana (right) [Image via @ufc on Instagram]