Although Peña has been very vocal since her win, Nunes has been on the quiet side. Peña, who spoke recently on The Joe Rogan Experience, has laid down the consequences for Nunes in the event she opts not to have the rematch.
“Well, somebody suggested, ‘Well, what if [Nunes] doesn’t decide to take the fight with you and decides to take an easier fight at ’45 and retires into the sunset?’ I’m like, she can’t,” Peña said. “She can’t do that. She would look like the biggest coward on Earth.”
Since the loss, Nunes has not been making many statements publically. She did, however, decide to leave her longtime gym ATT to begin the process of starting her own team. Nunes, of course, still holds the featherweight belt and has a duty to defend that as well.
The idea of Nunes retiring soon is not that far-fetched, either. She has been fighting in the UFC since 2013. She won the bantamweight title in 2016 and followed it up by winning the featherweight belt two years later. Nunes is currently the top female on many people’s GOAT lists.
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña believes she is the partner former titleholder Amanda Nunes needs to be a main event attraction in the UFC.
At the final pay-per-view of 2021, not only did Peña steal the upset of the year honor, but she also staked her claim to one of the biggest upsets of all time.
After months of talk, ducking accusations, and a failed booking at UFC 265, “The Venezuelan Vixen” finally had the chance to put her money where her mouth was at UFC 269. In the co-main event, she did exactly what she said she would do. She dethroned Nunes, the then-double champ who hadn’t lost since 2014.
While she already brought a physical challenge strong enough to defeat Nunes, the newly crowned bantamweight queen believes she offers something else for the Brazilian’s presence at the top.
While Nunes’ recent defenses and appearances had a built-in interest due to her dominance and lengthy win streak, they lacked a willing dance partner, one who would not only challenge the consensus female GOAT in the Octagon, but who would accentuate the interest, intrigue, and draw of the matchups outside of it.
Discussing her inevitable rematch with Nunes this year during an interview with The Spokesman, Peña claimed she is the partner the 33-year-old Bahia native needs to become a main event attraction in the UFC.
“[Nunes] has had several things happen to her where they wouldn’t put her as (the) main event because she couldn’t sell it or because she would pull out. She needs a partner; she needs the other side of the fight,” she said. “I am that other side. I am that star power. I am the one that is saying, ‘Hello, I’m here, let’s do this.’”
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While a date is yet to be set in stone for Peña vs. Nunes 2, all three parties necessary in organizing it have given the green light. After UFC President Dana White confirmed a chance at redemption would be offered to Nunes, the former 135-pound champ was quick to accept. Peña has also revealed that talks have begun for the two to potentially coach the next season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite one another.
While it may be unlikely the rematch will headline a pay-per-view given the host of exciting matchups already in store for 2022, it’s hard to deny the pair’s rivalry will have a headlining feel to it in the build-up.
Do you think Julianna Peña can repeat her UFC 269 performance when she runs it back with Amanda Nunes this year?
Julianna Peña is looking to have some fun before she takes on Nunes again.
The new UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña is already making plans for her next move in the division. Peña made headlines when she defeated two-division champ Amanda Nunes at UFC 269. The win by Peña shocked many, as Nunes was on a 12-fight winning streak and defeated some of the best names in women’s MMA along her way. Now that Peña is holding the belt, she has an idea of what could be next.
“A dream come true for me would be to coach The Ultimate Fighter and then go right into the rematch,” she told BT Sports. “So, that’s a perfect-world scenario. I know we don’t live in a perfect world, but that’s what I would like. As long as I can get the rematch at whatever time, that’s what’s gonna make me happiest.”
At the moment, this is all a dream for Peña, but that doesn’t mean that it will never happen. Peña claims that this idea is already in the planning phase and talks have begun.
“Yeah, it has,” Peña said of TUF talks. “So, I mean, we’ll see.
The future is unclear for Nunes, who has a bit more freedom than Peña at this point. Nunes still holds the featherweight title and could very well defend that as her next fight.
Also, Nunes is in the process of changing gyms and fight camps. This fact could delay her return. If Nunes is indeed looking for an immediate rematch, the idea of coaching on TUF could be a good way to have some training time before getting back in the Octagon.
Julianna Peña has reacted to the news of Amanda Nunes leaving her long-time gym of American Top Team following UFC 269.
At UFC 269, Julianna Peña left many jaws dropped when she upset Amanda Nunes to become the new UFC women’s bantamweight champion. Given the hubris Nunes’ backers had in their prediction that Peña would be another lamb for the GOAT’s slaughter, many were left seeking answers for what had transpired in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada after Peña broke Nunes in the second round.
For Nunes’ part, she hasn’t said much about her post-fight reflections. She has expressed interest in an immediate rematch against Peña and let it be known that she just needed a little time to put everything back in order before returning “better than ever.”
Monday, we learned that part of that process will be creating her own team down in Florida after exiting American Top Team. Nunes had been a part of ATT since 2014, with her loss to Peña being her only stumble in the ATT era of her career.
While it is merely speculative without hearing it from Nunes herself, it stands to reason that her loss to Peña was at least one major reason behind this career-altering decision.
Julianna Pena Reacts To Amanda Nunes Exiting American Top Team
So how did Peña react to this news? As it turns out, it wasn’t much of a reaction at all when the topic was brought to her in a UFC 270 media day scrum.
“Yeah, what a zoo, huh?” Peña said as she took a sip of her cold beverage.
Peña was then asked if she had any additional thoughts on the matter, being that the post-ATT Nunes is expected to be her next opponent.
“Best of luck, you know?” Peña said with sustained nonchalance. “I just hope everything goes according to her plans and that we can get our fight booked. That’s all I care about.”
Peña is hopeful that the rematch between herself and Nunes takes place in the summer. When a reporter threw out the possibility of the fight taking place in Brazil in May, the new bantamweight champ hit him with the ol’ “No thanks.”
In any event, as long as the fight takes place sometime in the summer, it sounds as though Peña is carefree about where else the fight may take place or where Nunes will be training in the meantime.
Amanda Nunes is making a change following her upset loss to Julianna Peña at UFC 269 last month, as the former double-champion has decided to exit American Top Team.
At UFC 269, Peña shocked the world when she submitted Nunes to become the new UFC women’s bantamweight champion. Following the loss, Nunes immediately expressed interest in running it back.
“You think I’m going to go out unbalanced. I undoubtedly accept the rematch. Give me a little time to get my shit together and I will be back better than ever,” Nunes wrote in an Instagram post.
Now, according to a Combate report, part of that process of getting everything together will include Nunes exiting American Top Team.
Nunes joined the gym in 2014 as a 9-4 professional. The following year, she began a run that saw her go undefeated for six years, with a 12-0 record, world championships in two weight classes, and multiple title defenses in both the bantamweight and featherweight divisions. That record under ATT remained unblemished up until UFC 269 last month when Nunes dropped her bantamweight title to Peña.
Coincidentally, prior to the first cancellation between Nunes and Peña, Peña questioned whether Nunes really had COVID-19, partially because she heard that Nunes had not been training at ATT ahead of the fight. Her conversation with gym owner Dan Lambert only further convinced Peña that Nunes was MIA at ATT last summer. Ultimately, the fight would get rebooked for UFC 269, where Peña took home the bantamweight gold.
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Now, as she did in 2014, Nunes will look to restart with another clean slate by creating her own team. There is currently no word on if any of the coaches at ATT will be working alongside her in this new project. It was also reported that Amanda’s wife Nina Nunes will be exiting ATT for this new gym as well.
American Top Team is one of the most renowned MMA gyms in the world. Over the years, it has hosted former UFC champions Tyron Woodley, Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Junior dos Santos, and Andre Arlovski. Today, it is still the home to names like Dustin Poirier, Jorge Masvidal, Kayla Harrison, and reigning light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira.
What do you make of Amanda Nunes’ decision to exit American Top Team after eight years?
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña believes she exposed Amanda Nunes in the UFC 269 co-main event last month.
Delusion, no chance, underdog, zero hope, inevitable loss. What do those words and terms have in common? They’re all along the lines of how most in the MMA community described Peña’s pre-fight confidence and chances of victory on December 11.
That didn’t affect the challenger. She knew something most didn’t. Her self-belief and predictions weren’t an attempt at motivating herself for an uphill battle. They were the truth. In her mind, the performance she delivered at UFC 269 wasn’t shocking; it wasn’t the greatest upset in UFC history,;it wasn’t an underdog triumph; it was as expected.
Despite that, for most fans and pundits, Peña’s seasonal submission success against the “Lioness”, which ended Nunes’ dominant reign over the 135-pound weight class, lengthy win streak, and seven-year unbeaten run, will go down in the history books as one of the biggest shocks the Octagon has ever played host to.
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Peña Doesn’t Think Nunes Underestimated Her
For many, whether fans of Nunes or adamant believers in the reigning featherweight titleholder’s superiority, the nature of the loss is up in the air. As well as claims the Brazilian quit after being taken to waters she hadn’t swum in since 2014, some have suggested the former bantamweight queen simply underestimated “The Venezuelan Vixen.”
For the new champ, the answers to that are: wrong and wrong.
In reality, she believes the consensus female GOAT was simply exposed inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.
“I think Amanda was prepared for the best version of Julianna that she was gonna see. She was ready,” Peña told the New York Post. “I said six months prior to the fight exactly what I was gonna do. I exposed her and I even gave her the message prior to the fight that that’s what I was gonna do. She didn’t underestimate me at all. She trained her ass off and was adamant, in her mind, to win the fight no matter what. She just got exposed, and that’s kind of what it was.”
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While the discussion around her championship-winning performance is likely to continue given the way she toppled the “Lioness” of the top step, Peña will seemingly have the chance to further legitimize her place on the bantamweight throne in an immediate rematch later this year.
The Nunes family had a brief scare recently when Amanda Nunes fell while holding her toddler daughter Reagan.
Fortunately, no one was injured in the fall. In fact, Amanda’s wife Nina got a good laugh out of the entire episode. You can watch the video and see Nina Nunes’ written reaction below.
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“Raegan was not injured in the making of this video. Amanda’s ass may hurt a little. Also, I have probably watched this 1000 times. ???,” Nina Nunes wrote.
The Nunes family welcomed baby Reagan into their household last September, thus making Amanda Nunes the first mother champion in the UFC. That topic was briefly disputed by new bantamweight champion Julianna Peña, who called herself the first “mom champ” after submitting Amanda Nunes at UFC 269 last month.
Amanda Nunes and Julianna Peña will more than likely have another opportunity to express themselves in a way that leaves no room for misunderstanding: the ultimate proving ground of the UFC Octagon. Dana White and both mom champs have already signed off on the idea. If and when that rematch does take place, you can expect a happy and healthy Reagan to be in the warm grasp of Nina Nunes as part of the jam-packed audience.
Amanda Nunes and Chuck Liddell have one thing in common. They are both all-time great UFC champions. One thing they do not have in common? A penis.
The following story is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 9, 2017, 10:13 AM]
Headline: Bruce Buffer: ‘Amanda Nunes is Chuck Liddell Minus The Penis’
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) announcer Bruce Buffer has a way with words.
The world of mixed martial arts (MMA) and sports, in general, was buzzing when Ronda Rousey’s bid for a second run with the women’s bantamweight title was derailed in 48 seconds by champion Amanda Nunes. “The Lioness” was dominant while “Rowdy” didn’t showcase any improvements from her brutal knockout loss to Holly Holm in Nov. 2015.
Buffer recently appeared on The Pony Hour podcast (via Bloody Elbow) and talked about Nunes’ first successful title defense. Despite Rousey’s performance, Buffer believes she took the bout very seriously:
“I thought (Rousey) was focused, she just got her ass handed to her. She came into Vegas, on Monday or Friday previous, weighing 135 lbs, instead of coming in on 150 or whatever, and having to lose 15 lbs in 5 days. That’s focused! She came in for the kill.”
With Nunes’ punching power, Buffer compared the 135-pound queen to UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell. There is one significant difference, however.
“In the case of Amanda Nunes, who is like Chuck Liddell with a clitoris. It’s like — and minus the penis — this is a woman who can move back and forward, who doesn’t punch and hit you in the face, she punches through your head. She’s probably going to hold that belt for a long time.”
Many have provided their theories as to why Rousey hasn’t improved in the sport. Some shoulder the blame on her coaches while others feel she was overrated to begin with. Buffer offered his take on what has gone wrong.
“She came in being told, in Holly’s case, that she was invincible. Wrong!” Buffer exclaimed. “Nobody is invincible. Okay? She came into this next fight, without any improvement to be seen in the 48 seconds that we saw. Flat-footed, no head movement, walking into a devastating striker to fight her fight. Bad judgment!”
Ahead of the event, it looked like business as usual for Nunes. But inside the Octagon, things were far from normal for the “Lioness.”
Peña, who entered the clash with a noticeable air of confidence and self-belief, repeatedly told people what was going to happen. While most didn’t listen, a select few did. Nevertheless, when she choked out Nunes in the second round, becoming the first woman to defeat the Brazilian since 2014, the MMA world was treated to one of if not the biggest upsets in the sport’s history.
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Peña: Nunes Had 2 Fights To Prepare For
Peña undoubtedly prepared endlessly for her clash with the former double champ and had her sights set on Nunes throughout her fight camp. But she believes the same can’t be said the other way around.
While “The Venezuelan Vixen” was able to put all of her energy into gameplay and strategy, the champ believes the Brazilian had two fights to prepare for, one being her weight cut.
Nunes has held the featherweight title since her own incredible upset victory over Cris Cyborg in 2018. Prior to UFC 269, she had defended the 145-pound belt in back-to-back contests against Felicia Spencer and Megan Anderson. Having not made the cut to 135 pounds since 2019, Peña believes Nunes may have struggled.
During an interview with Fox Sports, the bantamweight titleholder was asked whether she was surprised to see her opponent tire so quickly in their co-main event fight. Given that Nunes had to overcome her first battle, a grueling weight cut, Peña wasn’t shocked to witness the “Lioness” gas out so quickly, an advantage the champ says she took full advantage of as a natural bantamweight.
“I think that she had two fights her entire camp leading up to this fight. Her first fight was gonna be her weight cut and trying to get her body back down to fighting at bantamweight. And her second fight was gonna be (against) me. Whereas, I only had one fight the entire time and that was me focusing on just Amanda, not having to make weight, not having to make such a drastic weight cut. (It was) something that I never had to take into consideration during my camp. I am a natural 135lber.
“I knew that she was going to be struggling to make that weight, and that was gonna be the first battle she’d have to overcome. With that being said, she was gassed after the first, and I could hear that. I could feel it. I could just hear that heavy breathing in my ear. I knew that was, like I’ve been saying the whole time, the key to success there—just to wear her out, get her tired.”
UFC bantamweight champion Julianna Peña knew what she was signing up for when she agreed to battle Amanda Nunes at UFC 269.
Nunes was expected by many to run through Peña in their matchup. Instead, the fiery Peña proved to be a game opponent in the opening minutes and came out with a barrage of punches in Round 2.
After exhausting Nunes, Peña secured a hard takedown and sunk in the rear-naked choke for the victory. It was arguably the biggest upset in UFC history.
Nunes didn’t look like her usually dominant self in the eyes of many. She looked sluggish and fatigued after just minutes of action in the Octagon.
During a recent interview with Fox Sports Australia, Peña said she wasn’t surprised by what Nunes brought to the cage and believes Nunes’ place in MMA history is secure in spite of her UFC 269 loss.
“Honestly, that’s the hardest I’ve ever been hit, and those leg kicks really hurt me,” Peña said. “A lot of her shots were very powerful, they were the strongest that I have ever felt. She is the GOAT for a reason, and she is considered and still will always be considered the greatest of all time, so I literally took those shots, and I thought, ‘Holy cow, I just got hit by a Mack Truck.’ I knew, though, that I had to weather the storm in order to keep the grind on her and to get the win. So I wasn’t deterred at all by the power that I felt.”
Julianna Peña, Amanda Nunes Could Be On Track To Battle Again
Amanda Nunes, Julianna Pena, Image Credit: Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
However, Nunes has hinted at taking some time off, and it’s unclear as to when we’ll see these two square off once again. Things took a heated turn after the fight when Peña claimed the title of the UFC’s first “mom champ,” much to the chagrin of Nunes and others.
After one of the most remarkable moments in modern MMA history, the Peña/Nunes rivalry appears to just be getting started.
What is your early prediction for an Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Peña rematch?
UFC strawweight contender Amanda Ribas has suggested something may have been wrong with featherweight champion Amanda Nunes prior to her shocking defeat at UFC 269.
Ahead of the final pay-per-view of 2021, Nunes reigned over two divisions, hadn’t lost since 2014, was riding a 12-fight win streak, and had cemented her place as the female MMA GOAT in the eye of most.
With those accolades in mind, she was expected to close the year out with a comfortable bantamweight title defense against Julianna Peña. What occurred in Las Vegas on December 11 was far from comfortable for “The Lioness.”
Proving that her fight week confidence and self-belief hadn’t been misplaced, and proving most fans and pundits wrong, Peña executed her strategy to perfection, tiring Nunes out on the feet and choking her out on the ground. The result will forever be seen as one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.
During the latest episode of MMA Fighting’s Portuguese-language podcast Trocação Franca, Ribas compared Nunes’ disappointing defeat to her own setback opposite Marina Rodriguez earlier in the year. Despite feeling prepared and good to go, something felt off on the night, a phenomenon she believes could have hit “The Lioness” at UFC 269.
“Maybe she had sinusitis and nobody knew,” Ribas said. “Imagine getting punched in the face and when you see it, wow. Nobody knows. Maybe she didn’t recover well from her weight cut. I haven’t spoken with her so I don’t know. Nobody knows what happened that day.
“In my opinion, I thought she looked a little, I don’t know, kind of the same way I was in my fight with Marina [Rodriguez]. I was fine, I was prepared, but [wasn’t 100 percent there]. And sometimes the Venezuelan was more active, wanted it more.”
Despite admitting the loss was difficult for her to accept as a fan and teammate of Nunes, Ribas expects the reigning featherweight titleholder to bounce back in 2022 and reclaim the bantamweight belt from “The Venezuelan Vixen.”
“It was complicated,” she said of her reaction to Nunes’ UFC 269 loss. “I have Amanda at the top, like no one’s getting near her and she’ll beat everybody. To me, she’s very smart in her game and has an extraordinary mind for the fight, so it’s hard to accept when she lost.
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“Maybe she’ll accept the loss better than me, as a fan. But nobody knows how she was [feeling] that day. Maybe she didn’t perform that day. Nobody knows what’s going on. It was sad, but I know she’ll bounce back. She’s still the [featherweight] champion. She’s only lost one belt and I’m sure she will reclaim it. [Peña] said she’ll give her an immediate rematch, and I can’t wait for it.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
Showing that her motivation and toughest hasn’t dwindled, Nunes was quick to accept. “The Lioness” will no doubt be returning to the Octagon with extra fire and hunger in 2022.
Do you think Amanda Nunes will reclaim the bantamweight gold if she runs it back with Julianna Peña in 2022?
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña has issued a challenge for those who continue to doubt and discredit her title-winning performance at UFC 269.
At the final pay-per-view of 2021, Peña finally had her long-awaited clash with then-two-division titleholder Amanda Nunes. Having dominantly reigned over both the bantamweight and featherweight classes for years, most expected the “Lioness” to brush “The Venezuelan Vixen” aside and add another defense to her résumé.
What transpired inside Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena couldn’t have been further from the predictions of most. After getting through the first round unscathed, the challenger put her plan into action. After hurting and tiring Nunes on the feet, Peña sent the Brazilian crashing to the mat before choking her out and taking her title.
Despite executing her game plan to perfection and completing one of the greatest upsets in UFC history, some fans and pundits have questioned whether Peña beat Nunes, or if the former champion simply quit after being put into a position she hadn’t faced since 2014.
“It was great. That’s the second time I’ve finished (a fight with that rear-naked choke). I finished Sara McMann in January. It’s something that is not a regular rear-naked choke. I know that a lot of people want to discredit me, people wanna say that I didn’t have any hooks in and that wasn’t real and she just tapped because she quit.
“I guarantee you, and Jim, maybe one day you can take me up on this, or any of your listeners, if any of them out there want to come to my house and let me put that choke on them, I guarantee you they’re gonna tap as well and I guarantee you they’ll be able to feel that force and pressure that I was putting on Amanda.”
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Having ascended the bantamweight mountaintop, the next step for Peña to further legitimize her spot on the throne will likely be a second clash with Nunes.
After UFC President Dana White confirmed the option of an immediate rematch would be made available to the former champ, the “Lioness” quickly accepted. The pair will seemingly enter the Octagon together again in the first half of 2022.
Do you think Amanda Nunes had to tap to Julianna Peña’s choke at UFC 269?
Kayla Harrison had to pay up to UFC welterweight Belal Muhammad after losing her bet that her American Top Team teammate Amanda Nunes would defeat Julianna Peña at UFC 269.
Prior to UFC 269, Kayla Harrison, said that she felt Nunes will be ready to “murder” Peña come fight night. As we now know, that is far from what took place inside the T-Mobile Arena on December 11. Instead, Peña pulled off a monumental upset.
One person who wasn’t happy to see this unfold was Kayla Harrison. After Harrison made her prediction in October, Belal Muhammad responded to her by simply stating, “No, she’s not,” to which Harrison responded by daring Muhammad to make things interesting with a bet.
“Ok when Julianna wins you have to do live Instagram karaoke with a song of my choice,” Muhammad proposed. Harrison soon accepted and told Muhammad what was on the table should she win the bet.”
Ok done. And when @Amanda_Leoa wins you have to wear the outfit of my choice to a fight.
When Kayla Harrison made this wager with Muhammad, little did she know that she would end up in a growing feud with Peña after the fight. The two have exchanged words after Peña dismissed the “B-League” Harrison as a potential opponent. Peña would then double-down on that disrespect earlier this week when she branded Harrison a “Ronda Rousey wannabe.”
On Thursday, there was no trash talk coming back from Harrison this time. No, the only thing belted out from this Olympian’s mouth was the sweet sounds of Celine Dion. Check out Harrison’s karaoke performance and wager pay-up below.
UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña thinks Amanda Nunes may not be too disappointed to no longer be on the throne of the 135-pound division.
Peña pulled off arguably the greatest upset in UFC history by submitting Nunes at UFC 269. After throwing a barrage of punches in the second round, she scored a massive takedown before sinking in the rear-naked choke for the championship win.
Peña has begun to enjoy the fruits of her labor now that she is the new bantamweight queen, but is still processing her historic victory. As she begins her title reign, she feels that Nunes may feel a bit of relief now that she doesn’t have the belt.
“I think a gigantic weight has been taken off of her shoulders,” Peña said. “She doesn’t have to carry that belt anymore with all that pressure. The machine has been building her for seven years as this unbeatable phenom. And if you don’t beat somebody in 10 seconds, then you look almost less than. So I think that that weight that has been lifted off of her shoulders is a really great feeling for her.”
A rematch between Peña and Nunes is more than likely to happen next after both publically called for a second bout to take place. Nunes is planning on taking some time off before returning to the Octagon to face Peña.
Before she lost her bantamweight title, Nunes had arguably been the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world with title wins at 135 and 145 pounds. She had won 12 straight fights, with her last loss coming against Cat Zingano at UFC 178 in 2014.
What are your thoughts on Julianna Peña’s comments?
Armadillo Studios aims to capture Nunes’ successful career by creating a fun and engaging slot for casino players worldwide to enjoy.
Razvan Haiduc the CEO of the company, says he’s excited to reach the deal with Nunes and build on her career. The game is set to hit the market in the second half of 2022.
“As a fan of MMA myself, I’m very excited to be working with Amanda. Her global presence is huge, and we are ready to use it to provide some well-needed gender balance to the Casino vertical,” Haiduc said about the deal with Nunes. “Armadillo Studios has ambitious plans for 2022, and our tie with Amanda is the first step in the right direction. This branded game is set to hit the market in the second half of 2022 and we are confident it will be a massive success.”
From Amanda Nunes’ Twitter
Amanda Nunes, meanwhile, says she is thrilled to sign this deal.
“I’m thrilled to be involved in this awesome project. Having a brand-new slot title made from scratch in my image by a US game studio is an exciting adventure and rare opportunity. I hope that sports fans all over the world will be just as excited as I am and curious enough to take it for a spin,” Nunes said.
Nunes is coming off a shocking submission loss to Julianna Peña at UFC 269 to lose her bantamweight title. It’s considered one of the biggest upsets in MMA history, as Nunes was the two-division champion and was considered the best female fighter of all time.
Before the loss to Peña, she submitted Megan Anderson at UFC 259 earlier this year to defend her featherweight strap. In her career, she holds notable wins over Valentina Shevchenko, Cris Cyborg, Ronda Rousey, and Holly Holm among others.
Nina Nunes has weighed in on the “mom champ” controversy that involves her wife Amanda Nunes and Julianna Peña.
A comment made via social media by Nina Nunes this week supports Amanda’s claim that not giving birth to her child shouldn’t take away her status as the first “mom champ” of the UFC.
The issue stems from a comment Peña made after capturing the UFC bantamweight championship earlier this month. She said at the UFC 269 post-fight press conference that she gave birth to her child, claiming that makes her the first actual “mom champ” instead of Amanda Nunes.
In a recent comment from Nina Nunes, she wanted the world to know that Amanda not giving birth to her child doesn’t take away her status as a mother. She also shared an anecdote about how Amanda helped her during the childbirth process when they welcomed their first child in 2020.
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“Not many know this, but I had a HORRIBLE delivery. I lost a lot of blood and went into shock. Amanda [Nunes] took care of Raegan and I for the first week of her life and everyday after,” she said in a recent Instagram post. “She is her MOM and a Champion. Any [woman] out there who play the role of a mother, in any form, is a MOM. Thank you for being the best MOM Raegan could have.”
“I may not have birthed my Daughter. If I wanted to I could have,” Nunes said. “I chose to watch from the outside. After going through the IVF procedure with Nina. It was truly heartbreaking to see many women break down in the waiting room knowing they would never be able to carry their own and have to take another direction. This doesn’t not make these women any less of a MOM than Nina or I. As a MOM champion as well, I feel this needed to be said, [Julianna Peña].”
Soon after the UFC 269 press conference, Peña clarified her remarks in an interview. Peña emphasized that she wanted to shine a light on how pregnancy caused “massive changes” to her body and that she didn’t mean to take anything away from Nunes when stating this.
What are your thoughts on the “mom champ” controversy between Julianna Peña and the Nunes family?
UFC President Dana White believes the likely rematch between newly-crowned UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña and Amanda Nunes will be the “biggest women’s fight of all time.”
The first fight certainly staked its claim for an achievement of its own, being one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Heading into the clash, Nunes was the dominant two-division champion who hadn’t lost since 2014, was on a 12-fight win streak, and had defended the 135-pound strap five times, a reign that included victories over Ronda Rousey and Valentina Shevchenko.
But none of that mattered on fight night. In the UFC 269 co-main event, Peña proved her doubters wrong and shocked the world inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. After making it through the opening round, “The Venezuelan Vixen” turned the heat up in the second, trading with the “Lioness” on the feet. After hurting Nunes, Peña forced her to the ground and submitted her, completing a memorable underdog triumph.
In the aftermath of the incredible result, all three necessary parties seemingly agreed that a rematch is the logical next step. Given her lengthy and dominant reign over the bantamweights until 2021, it seems fair Nunes be given an immediate chance for redemption. After Dana White confirmed the option of a rematch is there if she wants it, the Brazilian accepted via a post on Instagram.
With that in mind, it stands to reason we’ll be seeing Peña and Nunes standing opposite each other in the Octagon again in the first half of 2022. While most will expect the second bout to be much bigger than the first given what we saw, the UFC President believes it will surpass every other women’s fight in the sport’s history.
“The Peña rematch with Nunes will probably be the biggest women’s fight of all time,” White told ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto. “That rematch will be the biggest women’s fight of all time.”
That title, as acknowledged by White, is currently held by the UFC 193 main event between Holly Holm and Ronda Rousey. The contest, another contender for greatest upset of all time, saw “The Preacher’s Daughter” end the unbeatable aura of Rousey with a second-round knockout.
Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm
With 1.1 million pay-per-view buys, the event sits alongside UFC 207: Rousey vs. Nunes as one of the two best-selling events headlined by female fighters in the UFC. Despite that, White insists Peña vs. Nunes 2 will be bigger in every single way.
“Every way that it can possibly beat it, it will. I don’t think it. I know it. It will crush that fight.”
With what’s at stake for Nunes, Peña’s desire to further legitimize her place on the throne, and the champ’s now-proven ability to sell a fight in the build-up, there’s certainly a chance White’s claim could come true.
Do you think Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Peña 2 will be the biggest fight in the history of women’s MMA?
With big upsets come big betting losses and wins. Peña has some words of wisdom for the people who bet on Nunes to win, especially a person who lost $300,000 according to Yahoo Sports.
“Sorry that that man lost so much money,” Peña said. “He should’ve bet on me. He should’ve took that $20,000 and made $2 million because I heard somebody else made that amount.”
Coming into the bout at UFC 269, people were seriously doubting Peña. Perhaps this is because she was 2-2 in her last four fights. But the new champion has her own theory on why people may have bet against her.
“I think probably the biggest thing is that I haven’t had these types of fights where you hit one punch and knock somebody out unconscious. So I think that my fights have kind of been grinding type of uglier fights that sometimes go the distance, sometimes end my way. Either way, it’s either kill or be killed. And you know that I’m gonna either kill or be killed in there.
“And so I definitely think that they probably just haven’t seen a ton of highlights of me just one-KO punching people and that’s probably why they weren’t really on my side at all.”
Former UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes has responded to Julianna Pena’s controversial “mom champ” remarks.
Nunes fell to Peña in one of the most shocking UFC moments of 2021, submitting to a rear-naked choke in the second round. Nunes appeared winded early in the fight and arguably didn’t look like her usual dominant self.
“The UFC absolutely needs to create a new belt for me It needs to be ‘The Baddest Mom on the Planet,’ Peña said during the UFC 269 post-fight press conference. “And you know, I’m not trying to take away anything from Amanda. She’s a wonderful mother. But I gave birth to my daughter, and I know that I feel like, for giving birth, I am the first mom champ. And that, to me, is also a little feather in the cap.”
The MMA community has been divided on Pena’s controversial statements, and Pena has recently come out and claimed that she didn’t mean any ill-will with the comments and acknowledged Nunes is a great mother and a true “mom champ.”
During a recent Instagram post, Nunes addressed the controversy and aimed her statement directly at Peña.
“I may not have birthed my Daughter. If I wanted to I could have,” Nunes said. “I chose to watch from the outside. After going through the IVF procedure with Nina. It was truly heartbreaking to see many women break down in the waiting room knowing they would never be able to carry their own and have to take another direction. This doesn’t not make these women any less of a MOM than Nina or I. As a MOM champion as well, I feel this needed to be said, [Julianna Pena].”
The “Mom Champ” Controversy Could Fuel Nunes/Pena Rematch
Many of Nunes’ fans commented with messages of support on the post. Peña has yet to respond to Nunes’ post as of this writing.
Nunes and Peña are expected to run it back sometime in 2022, with both women publically agreeing to an immediate rematch. Nunes has hinted at taking some time off, and it’s unclear when she’s targeting her return.
The Peña vs. Nunes rivalry appears to just be getting started, and this out-of-competition turmoil could fuel the fire between these two women going forward. Whenever they end up fighting again, it’s almost certain that Peña’s comments will continue to be addressed publically.
What are your thoughts on the Amanda Nunes/Julianna Peña “Mom Champ” controversy?
Despite many perceiving it to be the biggest upset in UFC history, Bellator champion Cris Cyborg wasn’t surprised to see Julianna Peña beat Amanda Nunes at UFC 269.
Closing the year in style at 2021’s final pay-per-view, Peña shocked the world inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena by dethroning the “Lioness.” Ahead of the clash, not many were giving “The Venezuelan Vixen,” who entered the contest off the back of two wins and two losses in her previous four fights, much of a chance.
The general consensus was that Nunes, a dominant two-division champion who hadn’t lost since 2014, was on a 12-fight win streak and had beaten the likes of Valentina Shevchenko, Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey, and Holly Holm, would shut Peña’s confidence down in emphatic fashion.
Instead, the underdog took the fight to Nunes on the feet before taking the Brazilian down and submitting her in the second round. The debate over whether it’s surpassed upsets like Matt Serra’s win against Georges St-Pierre and Holm’s victory over Rousey will rage on, but it’s certainly up there with the most shocking moments in UFC history.
But one person who was not at all surprised was former UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg. The Brazilian, who now competes under the promotional banner of Bellator MMA, knew Peña had what it takes and predicted an upset last weekend.
Speaking about the result in an interview with Combat Sports on Fanatics View, Cyborg explained why she expected “The Venezuelan Vixen” to get the job done on December 11, a feat that Cyborg failed to accomplish herself in 2018.
“You know, I was not surprised. I (picked) Julianna Peña because the five losses for Amanda Nunes, four were the same style as Julianna Peña. And before, we knew Amanda Nunes danger is in the beginning, in the first round. If you pass the first round with her, you can get in the fight. We knew this. Of course, when you fight her, you go fire to fire and that happens, you know, what happened.
Image Credit: Christian Petersen/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
“We knew that when she goes past the first round, she sees she cannot finish you, so she’s either gonna run away or quit on the floor or something, and this is what happened for Julianna Peña.”
Despite praising the newly-crowned champ’s ability to bring the fight to Nunes and force her into a position she hadn’t been in since 2014, Cyborg also questioned the fight-ending sequence. According to the 36-year-old, Peña didn’t have a submission locked in when the “Lioness” tapped out. Echoing the thoughts of many, the Bellator featherweight titleholder believes Nunes “quit.”
“I don’t feel like Julianna did any sort of submission because she didn’t have a submission the way she finished the fight. I feel like Amanda Nunes, at one point, she sees she cannot finish, and Julianna Peña continued going forward and she tapped, but (Peña) didn’t have any submission… I don’t know what was passing through her mind in the second round ’cause when you’re gonna fight for the title, you’re ready for seven rounds, and that was the second.
“I feel like Julianna did very good jabs. In the second round, Amanda wanted to finish the fight, to KO her as fast as she can, but Julianna was keeping her on the jab. The jab really opened a lot of doors for Julianna. The reality is when they stopped the fight, I didn’t think they’d finished the fight because she didn’t have a submission there, and I didn’t see the tap, too… I believe Amanda, I don’t know what passed through her mind there, but I believe she quit at that time.”
With Nunes’ reign atop the bantamweight mountain now over, the debate over who is the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time has now been re-ignited.
While the consensus had been that Nunes’ form and prior victory over Cyborg had her ahead, a portion of the MMA community believes the elder Brazilian, whose setback against the “Lioness” is the only blemish on her record since her MMA debut loss in 2005, holds the GOAT title.
Do you agree with Cris Cyborg? Did Amanda Nunes quit at UFC 269?
Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier believes Amanda Nunes “took her ball and went home” against Julianna Peña at UFC 269.
At the final pay-per-view of 2021, fans were treated to one of the greatest upsets in UFC history. In the co-main event, Peña challenged what looked to be an unstoppable reign atop the bantamweight division for double champ Nunes. The narrative for many leading into the fight was that the immense confidence “The Venezuelan Vixen” had would be shut down by the “Lioness,” who branded her foe as “delusional.”
What transpired instead was nothing short of incredible. After a strong opening round for Nunes, Peña turned the heat up in the second, keeping the Brazilian at bay with her jab and standing toe-to-toe with her on the feet. After Nunes’ body language and facial expression changed, the underdog dragged her to the mat and submitted her.
The finish resembled a parody of a nature show, with the zebra turning the tables and actually hunting down and tearing apart the lioness themselves.
Like a portion of fans and pundits in the combat sports community, Cormier, who was calling the fight Octagon-side, believes Nunes was mentally defeated during the fight and perhaps chose to end it before she should have.
“It was crazy, because for as crazy as it seems, she beat Amanda to the point that she made Amanda Nunes take her football and went home,” Cormier said on the latest episode of DC & RC. “It’s like the kid that gets beaten and is like, ‘I’m going home.’
“It’s hard to say Amanda Nunes quit. But, when you look at her body language and you look at the way the choke was put in, you question whether or not that unfamiliar thought crept back into her mind… We speak about her in such legendary terms. We speak about the company that she keeps in terms of female sports. To tap like that after being in that choke, it almost feels like she should’ve just went to sleep… If you’re gonna lose, your place amongst the greats, even if it’s temporary, she can go back and beat Julianna Peña, but it felt like she should go out on her shield more.”
Peña: “She Had No Choice But To Tap”
Unsurprisingly, the newly-crowned UFC women’s bantamweight champion sees it a lot differently. During an appearance on The MMA Hour just days out from her title crowning, Peña claimed the choke was something she’d been working ahead of the fight, and suggested Nunes had no choice but tap.
“Yeah, Rick [Little] and I have been working this choke for a while, and it was the same pretty much variation choke that I got with Sara McMann. It was absolutely tight, and she had no choice but to tap. People want to say that she quit. She didn’t quit. She was getting choked, you know? She had no choice but to tap. I would have broke her neck. So she tapped because she had no choice.”
Whether Nunes tapped prematurely, knew she was beaten, or genuinely had no choice, it certainly doesn’t matter for Peña. “The Venezuelan Vixen” did what no woman had done in Nunes’ previous 12 fights: She broke her inside the Octagon.
Who do you agree with, Julianna Peña or Daniel Cormier?
Despite giving props to Julianna Peña for her victory over Amanda Nunes, two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison is confident the newly-crowned UFC bantamweight queen wouldn’t be able to repeat it.
Nunes, Harrison’s American Top Team teammate, saw her 12-fight win streak and reign over the 135-pound weight class collapse in the co-main event of UFC 269 last weekend. Having defeated the likes of Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, and Holly Holm, and ascended the mountaintop of two divisions, it was the unlikely challenge of Peña that proved to be the David to her Goliath.
On fight night, Peña brought the heat to the “Lioness” on the feet, piecing her up with her jab, before forcing the action to the mat and securing her place on the throne with a submission triumph.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXZNFgmMNXs/
Harrison, who considers Nunes to be a friend, as well as training partner, was in attendance for the demise of the 33-year-old’s dominance at bantamweight. In an interview with TMZ Sports, the unbeaten lightweight star expressed her sadness at seeing Nunes defeated.
“I was heartbroken, obviously, for my teammate and my friend. I have a lot of respect for Amanda. I help her train, I’ve trained with her, she’s helped me, you know, we’re teammates, I would consider her a friend, so first and foremost, I was heartbroken for her.”
Nevertheless, Harrison maintained that the loss wasn’t something we’d see often. The two-time Olympic gold medalist suggested Nunes would have no trouble dispatching Peña 90% of the time.
“I still think that if they fought 10 times, nine times out of 10 Amanda starches her. But sometimes it’s just not your night, no matter what yo do, no matter how hard you prepare, no matter how good you feel or how confident you are, sometimes things just don’t go your way. That’s the craziness of this sport.”
Harrison Promises Peña A “2-For-1 ATT Special If She Keeps Talking”
Harrison’s theory could well be put to the test in 2022. After Dana White confirmed the former champ has the option for a rematch on the table if she wants it, both Nunes and the newly-crowned titleholder suggested it makes sense. However, Peña could be facing more than just a “Lioness” if she continues down her current path.
Following her title crowning, Peña discussed the possibility of facing Harrison. Dismissing the threat of the Ohio native, “The Venezuelan Vixen” branded the PFL champ, who she said has only fought in the “B-leagues” the “lesser of the training partners” at ATT.
In response, Harrison said that if she’s not careful, Peña could be the recipient of a special offer out of the famed Florida-based gym.
“I think that she (Nunes) takes a little time off, she relaxes, she spends time with her family, with her daughter, with her wife, and then we get right back at it. I talked to her that night, I was like, ‘This puta’s about to get a 2-for-1 ATT special if she keeps talking.’”
Given their current weight discrepancy, which has the pair fighting 20 pounds apart, a Harrison vs. Peña matchup seems unlikely unless the UFC champ chooses to move up to featherweight. With that in mind, the more likely bout is seemingly a championship clash between the two ATT teammates.
With Nunes still in possession of the 145-pound gold, and Harrison’s free agency status leaving the door open for a move to the UFC, we could see the two friends collide down the line.
Do you agree with Kayla Harrison? Would Amanda Nunes beat Julianna Peña nine times out of 10?
The UFC rankings have been updated following UFC 269, and we’ve got the full report for you below!
Men’s Pound for Pound: After Charles Oliveira’s submission victory over Dustin Poirier in the UFC 269 main event, the Brazilian advances three spots up to #5. Conversely, Poirier falls three spots to #8.
Women’s Pound for Pound: Valentina Shevchenko is now the #1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the women’s rankings following Amanda Nunes’ loss to Julianna Peña at UFC 269. Nunes falls down to #3, with strawweight champion Rose Namajunas (#2) also placed in front of her. Peña skyrockets up seven spots to #4 after her submission victory over Nunes.
Peña’s move up the ranks has caused Zhang Weili (#5), Jessica Andrade (#6), Holly Holm (#7), and Carla Esparza (#8) to move down. Katlyn Chookagian (#10) and Xiaonan Yan (#11) also dropped down in this week’s rankings.
Women’s Bantamweight: Amanda Nunes is now the #1 contender after the crowning of new champion, Julianna Peña. Holly Holm is now ranked #2, and Irene Aldana sits at #3. Additionally, Pannie Kianzad (#12) and Karol Rosa (#13) swap places in the rankings.
Women’s Featherweight: N/A
Flyweight: Sumudaerji (#12) and Amir Albazi (#13) swap places for the second consecutive week.
Bantamweight: Following his victory over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 269, Dominick Cruz moves up two spots to #7 in the rankings. Marlon Vera made a big leap this week, jumping up three spots to #8 right behind Cruz. As for Munhoz, he dropped two spots to #10, and Marlon Moraes moved up one spot to #9. Frankie Edgar now sits at #11 after moving up two positions.
Sean O’Malley (Image Credit: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
And finally, “The Suga Show” has arrived in the UFC rankings, with the self-proclaimed “Unranked Champ” now being stripped of that title after debuting in the rankings at #13 following his first-round TKO of Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.
Featherweight: Josh Emmett moves up to #6, with Arnold Allen (#7) and Giga Chikadze each (#8) falling back one position.
Lightweight: Justin Gaethje is now the #1 contender, with Dustin Poirier ranked at #2 after his loss to champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.
Welterweight: No Changes
Middleweight: André Muniz debuts in the rankings at #13 following his eighth straight victory and advancing his UFC record to 4-0 by submitting Eryk Anders at UFC 269. This has caused Chris Weidman (#14) and Kevin Holland (#15) to drop in the rankings.
Light Heavyweight: No Changes
Heavyweight: After earning another knockout at UFC 269 over Augusto Sakai, Tai Tuivasa returns to the heavyweight rankings, landing at #11. Meanwhile, Sakai (#12), Blagoy Ivanov (#13), Walt Harris (#14), and Sergei Pavlovich (#15) each drop this week.
New UFC women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña has taken a shot at Kayla Harrison.
In the co-main event of UFC 269, Amanda Nunes was set to defend her bantamweight title against Peña in a fight most expected Nunes to win with ease. Should the champ-champ have won, it’s likely she would’ve fought Harrison at featherweight in a highly-anticipated bout but Peña ruined those plans.
“I think she’s the lesser of the training partners for her and Amanda Nunes,” Peña told MMA Junkie. “If that’s the case and I just took out Amanda, I don’t know what kind of position that would put her in. But she’s been fighting the B-leagues. I’ve been fighting in the UFC, I’ve been fighting at the top of the division. I’m fighting in the biggest league of this sport so I’m not paying too much attention to what she’s doing down there.”
After Peña’s comments, Harrison then took to Twitter to respond.
“Lawwwwwd. Don’t be doin this now Juliana!,” Harrison wrote on Twitter.
Although Julianna Peña took a shot at Kayla Harrison, it is a moot point, as a fight between them will likely never happen. Even if Harrison signs with the UFC, she will compete at featherweight, while Peña is the bantamweight champ and is comfortable at 135lbs.
However, some may consider Peña’s shot at Harrison to be a wise move, as it only adds to her name and popularity. Yet, in order for the new champ to remain the champ, she will need to beat Nunes again sometime next year. Harrison, meanwhile, remains a free agent.
What do you make of Julianna Peña taking a shot at Kayla Harrison?
Newly crowned women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña has responded to the backlash she received for comments made following her UFC 269 title win.
After pulling off one of the biggest upsets in MMA history, Julianna Peña served as an inspiration for many people. Peña entered her fight against Amanda Nunes as a +670 underdog, with Nunes cracking four figures as a -1000 favorite.
However, it wasn’t the upset aspect that Peña noted as being historic about her victory. That, as she told reporters after the fight, would be her becoming the first birthing mother to become a UFC champion.
“The UFC absolutely needs to create a new belt for me It needs to be ‘The Baddest Mom on the Planet,’ Peña said during the UFC 269 post-fight press conference. “And you know, I’m not trying to take away anything from Amanda. She’s a wonderful mother. But I gave birth to my daughter, and I know that I feel like, for giving birth, I am the first mom champ. And that, to me, is also a little feather in the cap.”
When MMA reporter Ariel Helwani congratulated Peña on becoming the first UFC champion who gave birth to a child, he also caught some flack. This caused him to post a follow-up tweet to clarify why he feels Peña’s achievement should be celebrated.
FTR, I’m not trying to diminish anyone. Cmon. Just noting, given my immense respect for what women go through during and post-pregnancy, that this is a first and very much worth commending. That’s it. I know there are many ways to be a mom and they all deserve love + respect. 🙏
“FTR, I’m not trying to diminish anyone. Cmon. Just noting, given my immense respect for what women go through during and post-pregnancy, that this is a first and very much worth commending. That’s it. I know there are many ways to be a mom and they all deserve love + respect,” Helwani tweeted Saturday night.
Helwani would have Peña on as a guest of Monday’s installment of The MMA Hour to respond to the backlash herself. First, Helwani defended Peña from the criticism she’s received and doubled down on his belief that her achievement as the first birth mother to win UFC gold is something to be celebrated.
“Yes, it is, and my words were 1,000% misinterpreted,” Peña said. “I’m not trying to take away from Amanda as a mom-champ by any means. But what I meant to say is, you’re pregnant for 10 months, actually. And your body goes through massive changes. I went to my doctor’s appointment. I was almost 42 weeks pregnant at this point, and they’re like, ‘We gotta get this baby out now! STAT! Right now!’
“They rushed me to the ER. And I got my guts ripped open. I’m literally (lying) on the table and looking at my guts on the side. They gut me like a fish; they stuffed it all back in. If it wasn’t for Mercier Therapy, I wouldn’t have been able to get back into the Octagon. And I think that that process of healing, and taking my actual time to do that Mercier Therapy, and taking the time to heal my body and get to fighting and be able to perform at my peak is a lot. And it says a lot to be able to do that after giving birth.”
In the interview, Peña praised both Amanda and Nina Nunes for being great parents and reiterated that Amanda Nunes is a legitimate mom champ. That said, Peña believes she offers her own unique, inspirational story as a champion.
“And I’m not, by any means, trying to take away from Amanda at all. All I was simply saying is that when I gave birth, I had to put my body through the trenches to get back to this point that I’m at right now. And it’s something that should be celebrated. But I, by no means, want to take away from Amanda’s accomplishments at all. She is an incredible mom-champ. She was an incredible champion. She did so much for the sport. But I am the new champion right now, and that is the light that I want to stay in.”
