UFC is heading to the Great White North for a pay-per-view offering headlined by a trilogy fight. UFC 289 will take place in Vancouver, Canada on Saturday, June 10 with Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena 3 as its top offering.
The promotion officially announced the card during the UFC 287 broadcast on Saturday following speculation that UFC was in need of a new host city after a speculated Calgary card fell through. Nunes and Pena will compete against each other for a third consecutive time with the UFC women's bantamweight championship at stake. Pena defeated Nunes in an absolute shocker in 2021 before dropping the title to Nunes in their 2022 rematch. Pena is the only person in the last eight years to defeat Nunes.
CANADA, WE’RE COMING HOME 🇨🇦👊
— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) April 7, 2023
We’re OFFICIALLY bringing #UFC289 to Vancouver on June 10th!
Tickets on sale April 21 - register your interest at https://t.co/wmVlbDgqXM 🎟 pic.twitter.com/OWvu7i5rKD
A notable welterweight clash between karate specialist Stephen Thompson and capoeira combatant Michel Pereira is also scheduled to take place.
UFC lasted visited Vancouver on Sept. 14, 2019, for a Fight Night card headlined by Justin Gaethje vs. Donald Cerrone. Coincidentally, Michel Pereira was also on that card and lost a shocking decision to local fighter Tristan Connelly after severely missing weight. Nunes returns to Canada for the first time since successfully defending the title against Valentina Shevchenko via a split decision in 2017.
