Amanda Nunes made history as the first fighter to ever retire as a simultaneous two-division champion. In the aftermath of her retirement at UFC 289 in Vancouver on Saturday, two divisions are without champions.
Nunes' decision came as somewhat of a surprise considering the dominance with which she beat Irene Aldana. Retiring as the reigning UFC women's bantamweight and women's featherweight champions means that new champions must be crowned. Well, at least one.
Saturday also shifted the landscape of the UFC lightweight division. Former champion Charles Oliveira turned back the clock after a lifeless performance against Islam Makhachev at UFC 280. Renewed and refreshed with a stunning win over Beneil Dariush, Oliveira now looks ahead to a rematch with the champ.
Let's break down what's next for the UFC in the aftermath of Nunes' retirement and Oliveira's big win over Dariush.
Women's bantamweight division
UFC women's bantamweight championship -- Julianna Pena vs. Raquel Pennington: It isn't the sexiest fight you can make, but there aren't a ton of interesting matchups in this division. Pena and Pennington are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the UFC's official rankings. Pena was originally scheduled to fight Nunes before an injury forced her off the card. Pennington was brought to UFC 289 as the official backup. Pena winning is probably a best-case scenario for the UFC. Fans are split on her but at least she tries to promote herself.
Women's featherweight division
UFC president Dana White suggested the women's featherweight division could retire with Nunes. It's a barren division with barely any fighters and the title hasn't been defended since 2021. There isn't even UFC women's featherweight rankings. The rankings page just has a photo of Nunes hovering over an unpopulated blank island. It's time to wave goodbye.
Lightweight division
UFC lightweight championship -- Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira: Dariush presented a lot of challenges to Oliveira and he overcame them in a ferocious fashion. Dariush's success on the ground remains concerning for Oliveira's success in a Makhachev sequel. Nevertheless, Oliveira is a man possessed with UFC fans firmly behind him. The Canadian crowd welcomed Oliveira as one of their own. Makhachev has previously expressed a desire to face new challengers. If Makhachev vs. Oliveira 2 doesn't pan out, Oliveira should be paired with the loser of Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje 2.
Beneil Dariush vs. Arman Tsarukyan: It was a crushing loss Dariush. The lightweight contender went from the verge of retirement to a career-best eight-fight winning streak that put him within one win of a title shot. Now, it's back to the drawing board. A fight between him and the loser of Poirier-Gaethje 2 would be a thrilling co-main event or Fight Night headliner, but he may want to consider a gentle step backward after such a severe TKO loss. Dariush could fight Arman Tsarukyan, should the latter beat Joaquim Silva this coming week. Other potential matchups include Rafael Fiziev and the loser of Poirier-Gaethje 2, but those are going to be chin-checkers.
