UFC 259 Nunes vs Anderson Picks: Can the Champ Be Stopped?

Amanda Nunes is on a dominant run, winning 11 consecutive matches and enters her featherweight title fight against Megan Anderson as a heavy -1,200 favorite.

Mar 1, 2021 • 14:37 ET
Amanda Nunes UFC Fighter
Photo By - USA TODAY Sports

Amanda Nunes vs. Megan Anderson is the co-main event at UFC 259 betting on March 6. 

Despite the lopsided UFC betting lines for this matchup it should still be an intriguing fight as the two-division champ Nunes makes her second defense of the featherweight title against a terrific striker in Anderson. Nunes is a massive -1200 favorite while Anderson comes back at +680.

Here are our best Nunes vs. Anderson picks and predictions for UFC 259 on Saturday, March 6 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Nunes vs Anderson fight odds

Method of Victory Amanda Nunes Megan Anderson
Win Outright -1,200 +680
Win by KO/TKO +100 +1,000
Win by Points +440 +2,200
Win by Submission +230 +3,300
Draw +5,000 +5,000

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Nunes vs Anderson betting preview

Amanda "The Lioness" Nunes is the reigning women's bantamweight and featherweight champion and is widely considered the greatest female fighter in MMA history. 

Nunes is fresh off a unanimous decision victory over Felicia Spencer last June and has now won 11 fights in a row, including first-round finishes of former champs Holly Holm, Cris Cyborg, Ronda Rousey, and Miesha Tate.

The Lioness is a complete fighter with terrific grappling ability and powerful takedowns, along with vicious ground and pound. But it's her striking that really sets her apart as she lands 4.43 significant strikes per minute while absorbing just 2.63.  

Megan Anderson is fresh off consecutive first-round stoppage wins over Norma Dumont and Zarah Fairn. The 31-year-old is 7-2 in her last nine fights.

Anderson is the tallest female fighter on the UFC roster and uses her reach advantage with high-level kickboxing ability. The Aussie is one of the rare female fighters who racks up finishes, with her last nine wins all ending via stoppage.

Nunes vs Anderson tale of the tape

Amanda Nunes   Megan Anderson
32 Age 31
5-foot-8 Height 6-foot
145 lbs Weight 145 lbs
69 inches Reach 72 inches
20-4-0 (13 KO) Record 11-4-0 (6 KO)

Nunes vs Anderson UFC prediction and betting pick

PREDICTION: Nunes (-1,200) - The women's featherweight division is extremely thin and the UFC is finding it increasingly difficult to find competition for Nunes. 

While Anderson has a height and reach advantage, along with excellent kickboxing ability, Nunes is a cut above. The Lioness is not only much better on the ground, but her striking accuracy, power, and defense are all superior as well. 

That said, backing Nunes as a -1,200 favorite is absolutely bonkers so let's look at some other wagering options with better value.

PREDICTION: Nunes to win by KO/TKO +100 - Nunes fought to a decision in her first defense of the 145-pound belt against Spencer last June but the challenger was absolutely destroyed in that contest. Just as Spencer proved in her fight against Cyborg, she is tough as nails and can take a brutal beatdown, but her corner should have probably thrown in the towel earlier.

Anderson might be exceptionally long but Nunes has excellent distance management along with terrific strength and power. That could spell trouble for Anderson who has questionable strike defense.

If Anderson can stay at range she should be able to prolong this fight a bit, but once Nunes closes the gap the Lioness should be able to accumulate enough damage to put the challenger away.  

PREDICTION: Over 1.5 rounds (-120) - This might be the prop bet which I like the most in this fight. While Anderson's last four fights and five of her previous six wins ended in the first round, I can't see her knocking out Nunes – especially early.

That said, Anderson has never been finished by strikes herself, and the last time she faced someone with elite boxing ability she went the distance against Holm in 2018.

Nunes has gone the distance in her last two fights and four of her last six matchups have gone past 22 minutes. We don't see this fight lasting the full 25 minutes but Anderson should be able to at least reach the midway point of Round 2 especially if Nunes uses her wrestling.

Where can I bet on UFC odds?

Most online sportsbooks and casinos offer bets on UFC odds and props. While odds to win usually come out as soon as a fight is announced, prop bets become more readily available closer to an event. Check out the best sportsbooks available where you live and see what UFC bets they have available.

Pages related to this topic

Popular Content

Legal Canadian sports betting

Best Canadian betting sites Ontario sports betting
Covers 25 Years Logo Established in 1995,
Covers is the world
leader in sports
betting information.
Covers is verified safe by: Evalon Logo GPWA Logo GDPR Logo GeoTrust Logo Evalon Logo