Irene Aldana steps in place of injured Julianna Pena to face Amanda Nunes at UFC 289

UFC President, Dana White, broke the news today (Tues., May 2, 2023) that a major shift has taken place atop UFC 289 on June 10, 2023, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The original Bantamweight title main event trilogy between reigning roost-ruler, Amanda Nunes (22-5), and former champion, Julianna Pena (12-5), is off after “Venezuelan Vixen” suffered a broken rib.

Now, Aldana (14-6) , the No. 5-ranked contender out of Mexico, is set to fill in for her first UFC title shot.

Before the Pena trilogy was formally announced, the Nunes-Aldana pairing was one that many in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community anticipated. Aldana has won her previous two fights by spectacular knockout victories over opponents like former featherweight championship contender Yana Santos and Macy Chiasson, the featherweight champion of season 28 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF).

Prior to Raquel Pennington's injury, Aldana was scheduled to face Pennington again in the main event of UFC Vegas 73 on May 20, 2023.

Aldana's replacement in the Pennington fight has not yet been revealed, and it is unknown whether the Bantamweight contender will continue to compete in that main event spot.