Megan Anderson issues statement after quick loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 259

Megan Anderson intends to return to the drawing board after a blowout loss to Amanda Nunes in the UFC 259 co-main event.

Anderson (11-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) came into the fight as the biggest underdog yet to two-division champion Nunes (21-4 MMA, 14-1 UFC) in their women’s featherweight title bout Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The outcome showed why when “The Lioness” steamrolled her way to a first-round submission win.

It took Nunes just a few ticks of the clock longer than two minutes to hurt Anderson with strikes, then lock up an armbar on the ground to finish the job. It certainly wasn’t the performance the Aussie challenger was hoping for, but she promised to return stronger in her first post-loss comments on social media (via Twitter):

This game has the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. This was the one we wanted to win but it's the fight game.

We'll be back

— Megan Anderson (@MeganA_mma) March 7, 2021

This game has the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. This was the one we wanted to win but it’s the fight game.

We’ll be back

There are legitimate questions now around what the future holds for Anderson. The UFC allowed her to challenge for the title on what was the final bout of her UFC contract, and it’s entirely possible this marked the end of her tenure with the promotion.

Anderson has fought a record six fights in the UFC women’s featherweight class, and little to no one remains in terms of fresh matchups. The division has been on life support since its inception in the UFC, and it remains to be seen how the UFC brass handles it now that Nunes has emptied the queue of potential opponents.