Report: Amanda Nunes Out Of UFC 256 Title Defence Against Megan Anderson

Mandatory Credit: Mike Roach - Zuffa LLC

UFC bantamweight and featherweight world champion, Amanda 'The Lioness' Nunes has been forced to withdraw from the attempted defence of her 145-pound crown against number-one division contender, Megan Anderson at UFC 256 on December 12th. - due to undisclosed reasons.

Nunes, who most recently featured in the main event of UFC 250 in June in the first attempted defence of her featherweight throne opposite former Invicta FC champion, Felicia 'The Feenom' Spencer, in a rescheduled tie, scored a one-sided unanimous judging title retaining win. 

Nunes and Anderson were promoted to the main event of the promotion's final flagship event of the year on December 12th. - following the fallout of a scheduled welterweight headliner between champion, Kamaru 'The Nigerian Nightmare' Usman, and challenger, Gilbert 'Durinho' Burns. According to a report from ESPN MMA reporter, Brett Okamoto, the pairing of Nunes and Anderson is set to remain intact, and feature at an event in 2021. 

Regarded as the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time, Bahia favourite, Nunes has scored a combined six successful title defences across both the bantamweight and featherweight divisions, notching notable career wins over Valentina Shevchenko (x2), Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm, Germaine de Randamie (x2), Vanessa Porto, and Julia Budd.

Queensland native, Anderson, is also a former Invicta FC featherweight titleholder, and since her eventual transition to the UFC back in June 2018 - has amassed a 3-2 promotional résumé. Initially debuting with a grappling heavy decision defeat to common-foe, Holm, Anderson scored victories over another common-opposition, Cat Zingano, as well as wins over Zarah Fairn dos Santos, and Norma Dumont Viana after a quickfire rear-naked choke defeat to most recent championship chaser, Spencer.

The promotion is set to host a bantamweight title matchup between rivals, Petr 'No Mercy' Yan and perennial contender, Aljamain 'Funk Master' Sterling at the December 12th. event, although it's yet to be determined if that pairing will now take headlining honours or not.