Ranking the GOAT’s fights: The top 5 matches in Amanda Nunes’ storied

It’s a rare treat to witness a performance by the greatest in a sport’s history.

It is especially rare in the case of Amanda Nunes. The GOAT of women’s MMA will be making her first appearance of 2023 when she headlines UFC 289 on Saturday in Vancouver, British Columbia (main card on ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. ET, prelims at 8 p.m. and early prelims at 6:30, both on ESPN/ESPN+). Nunes hasn’t fought since July, her only bout of 2022. She competed twice in 2021 and also only once in 2020.

So it will be just her fifth fight in 2½ years when Nunes (22-5), the UFC’s only current two-division champion, puts her bantamweight title on the line against Irene Aldana (14-6). Aldana will be looking to add to the championship luster of Mexican MMA, which already this year has seen the crowning of two UFC titleholders in men’s flyweight Brandon Moreno and women’s 125-pounder Alexa Grasso.

To bring another belt south of the border, Aldana must overcome a rejuvenated Nunes. The 34-year-old Brazilian, who trains in South Florida, regained her 135-pound belt last summer in a rematch with Julianna Peña, who had dethroned her in December 2021, ending a 12-fight winning streak. Deposed champions don’t tend to fare well in immediate rematches with their conquerors, but Nunes seized full command right from the start to show Peña — and the MMA world — who belongs at the top of the marquee.

There’s also star power in Saturday’s co-main event at Rogers Arena, which features the most accomplished submission artist the UFC has ever seen. Charles Oliveira, who has a record 16 submissions inside the Octagon, will be competing for the first time since losing the lightweight championship to Islam Makhachev in October. That defeat ended an 11-fight winning streak. Oliveira (33-9, 1 NC) will take on Beneil Dariush (22-4-1), a winner of eight in a row who has tapped out only once in his career — seven years ago.

Beyond the women’s title…