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Amanda Nunes was seemingly unfazed by Megan Anderson’s towering height advantage at their UFC 259 staredown.
UFC, via its official Twitter account, has put forth a video clip of the staredown between Amanda Nunes and Megan Anderson. Fans can watch it in the tweet embedded below –
The pre-fight staredowns – be it at the press conferences, or inside the octagon, just moments before the fight gets underway – are regarded as a precursor to what might happen in the fight. Coaches, MMA experts, and fans generally analyze each fighter’s body language at the staredowns to predict which competitor could have the mental advantage heading into fight night.
That said, it’s not uncommon for fighters to appear confident and unfazed at the staredowns, yet go on to lose their bout. One of the tenets of combat sports is that apparent confidence or a lack of it doesn’t always translate to success or failure in the fight.
On that note, fans of The Lioness have praised her confidence at the staredowns, ahead of the all-important UFC 259 clash against Megan Anderson. Many in the MMA world have picked Amanda Nunes as the favorite to win this fight and to do so in dominant fashion.
At the UFC 259 staredowns, Nunes arrived on-stage with a smile on her face. She approached Megan Anderson and then extended a handshake towards her opponent. Both fighters shook hands and proceeded to engage in their staredown.
Neither Amanda Nunes nor Megan Anderson appeared to be fazed by the staredown. UFC President Dana White went on to break it up and requested them to pose separately as well for the ongoing on-stage photo session.
Furthermore, Amanda Nunes received her UFC women’s Bantamweight and Featherweight titles, placing one belt on each shoulder. Nunes and Megan Anderson smiled for the cameras as the remainder of the photo session continued.
Amanda Nunes vs. Megan Anderson – The Lioness faces a dangerous challenger at UFC 259
Megan Anderson has never been stopped via strikes in her professional MMA career. Anderson’s losses have come via decision or submission. When it comes to the striking realm, there aren’t many fighters who can go toe to toe with the Australian MMA star.
Presently, Anderson is set to compete in the biggest fight of her combat sports career, facing Amanda Nunes for the UFC women’s Featherweight title at UFC 259 (March 6th, 2021). Anderson stands at 6’0” with a 72.5-inch reach, whereas Nunes is 5’8” with a 69-inch reach.
The consensus is that this height and reach advantage, coupled with Megan Anderson’s brilliant striking skills and vaunted KO power, could pose a threat to Nunes’ reign as the UFC women’s Featherweight champion.
Which fighter do you see emerging victorious in the Amanda Nunes vs. Megan Anderson matchup at UFC 259? Sound off in the comments.
