Amanda Nunes walks off into the sunset as a reigning and defending champion, and the division created primarily for her is likely to go, as well.
After Nunes announced her retirement following her dominant win over Irene Aldana at UFC 289, Dana White said that business might be closed for the women’s featherweight division. Nunes last defended the division’s title against Megan Anderson in 2021, and nary a defense since then.
The division came about in 2016 as a way to lure Cris Cyborg into the UFC, ideally to face Nunes. Germaine de Randamie defeated Holly Holm at UFC 208, then later vacated the title. Cyborg eventually joined the UFC and won the vacant title, setting up a mega showdown with Nunes at UFC 214.
After Nunes demolished Cyborg, it would be nearly two years before she made a title defense. With the UFC’s lack of interest in populating the division, let alone convincing Nunes to defend the title semi-regularly, there doesn’t seem to be a reason for the division to exist.
At the UFC 289 post-fight presser, White responded to questions about the division, saying it’s likely to dissolve.
“The answer is probably yes… it makes sense.”
Official rankings for the featherweight division come up blank. Nunes is still listed as the champion, and there are no ranked contenders to speak of. As a matter of fact, only Norma Dumont has asked the UFC about the status of the division in recent months.
With Nunes gone, and the division already an afterthought, it shouldn’t be long before the division follows her lead.
