Amanda Nunes injury delays Megan Anderson bout until 'early next year'

Las Vegas, November 10: Amanda Nunes will have to wait until 2021 for her latest UFC featherweight title defence due to an injury, opponent Megan Anderson revealed.

Nunes has been featherweight champion since beating Cris Cyborg in December 2018 and defended her belt against Felicia Spencer earlier this year.

That June success - an 11th straight win - saw Nunes become the first double-champion to successfully defend titles in two divisions while holding both belts, having protected her bantamweight crown in defeating Germaine de Randamie six months earlier.

The Brazilian was next set to take on former Invicta FC featherweight champion Anderson in the main event at UFC 256 on December 12, although the card had not yet been announced.

But reports emerged on Monday (November 9) that the bout was off and Anderson soon confirmed the news on social media.

The Australian initially posted a series of broken heart emojis to her Twitter page and then shared a report of the fight's postponement.

— Megan Anderson (@MeganA_mma) November 9, 2020

"Wishing Amanda a speedy recovery," Anderson wrote. "UFC are rescheduling the bout for a date early next year.

"The goal remains the same. We'll be ready."

No further details were given on the nature of the injury to Nunes, the UFC's top-ranked women's pound-for-pound fighter.