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Tag: Julianna Peña

  • Peña: I Know The Mistakes I Need To Correct Before Nunes Rematch

    UFC Women’s Bantamweight Julianna Peña is looking ahead to her rematch with Amanda Nunes, and knows there are some areas of her game she needs to fix before their second clash.

    At UFC 269, the final pay-per-view of 2021, Peña closed out a memorable year for MMA’s premier promotion in style. In the co-main event, she had her long-awaited title shot against then-two-division titleholder Nunes. Prior to December, the “Lioness” boasted a 12-fight win streak and was unbeaten since 2014.

    While most expected that impressive run of form to continue into 2022, “The Venezuelan Vixen” had other plans.

    After evading Nunes’ intent to finish in the opening round, Peña put her own game plan into action, taking the fight to the Brazilian on the feet, before dragging her to the mat and submitting a visibly fatigued and disheartened Nunes.

    Peña Acknowledges Title-Winning Performance Wasn’t Perfect

    While the memory of her remarkable ascent to the bantamweight throne remains fresh and spoken about in most interviews, Peña is beginning to adjust her focus towards her next task: a second victory over Nunes.

    Shortly after the shocking result, Dana White made it clear the reigning featherweight queen would be offered an immediate chance at redemption at 135 pounds, something she welcomed with open arms.

    With her first defense and rematch with Nunes on the horizon, “The Venezuelan Vixen” knows she has to make adjustments to her game, and has acknowledged that she made some “very big mistakes” at UFC 269.

    “I would say I’ve watched (UFC 269 fight) at least four times. As far as my assessment, there’s definitely some very big mistakes that I made, and I’m looking to correct those,” Peña told BT Sport’s Caroline Pearce. “I’m already starting my training camp, I’m trying to get back in shape right now. I’m gonna give myself one last hurrah to keep my hair down tonight, and then after that it’s straight business.

    “I got dumped in the first round and that really pissed my coaches off,” added Peña. “So, I just need to make sure I don’t get dumped again in the next fight. Aside from that, I think, hey, it’s fighting, mistakes are going to happen.”

    In a perfect world, Peña says her first defense will come after a stint coaching the next season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite Nunes. With Ariel Helwani reporting that the pair are the front-runners to do so this year, it seems she may get her wish.

    How do you think the expected rematch between Julianna Peña and Amanda Nunes will play out?

  • Julianna Peña Wants Attention To Shift From Title Win To Nunes Rematch

    UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña is hoping to turn the attention to her first title defense following her incredible crowning at UFC 269 last month.

    Despite being over a month removed from her gold-winning performance at the final pay-per-view of 2021, talk of Peña’s upset win in Las Vegas has barely died down. At UFC 269, she was tasked with ending the 12-fight win streak of then-two-division titleholder Amanda Nunes, and with becoming the first woman to defeat the Brazilian since 2014.

    On paper? A difficult, if not impossible, task. In reality? A task Peña expected to complete.

    With the majority of fans and pundits not giving her a chance, “The Venezuelan Vixen” entered the Octagon and delivered the performance of a lifetime. After escaping the opening round, Peña turned the heat up on a fatigued and visibly wobbly “Lioness.”

    After rocking Nunes on the feet, Peña dragged her to the mat and submitted her, leaving the commentators, fans in attendance, and MMA community in shock. But one person without any surprise on her face was the newly-crowned 135-pound queen.

    Peña: “I Just Wanna Talk About Moving Forward”

    Given the feat Peña achieved, one that is widely considered the greatest upset in UFC history, it’s no surprise that questions about her reaction to the result and thoughts on becoming champion are still ever-present in her interviews.

    However, Peña wants talk to turn to her next step; defending the gold for the first time in a rematch against Nunes.

    In an interview with Caroline Pearce for BT Sport, the champion suggested she’s keen to move forward and focus on the first challenge to her reign, which will come after a stint coaching this year’s season of The Ultimate Fighter alongside the “Lioness.”

    “I feel exactly the same. I expected to win that night. I expect to win in the future. It was what I expected from myself, so it wasn’t a surprise to me. I just wanna talk about moving forward, what’s gonna happen, and getting this rematch underneath my belt… I would love to stay active.”

    After Peña’s memorable triumph at UFC 269, both her and UFC President Dana White wasted little time in confirming the planned next step. At the post-fight press conference, White said Nunes would certainly be offered an immediate chance at redemption, something the Brazilian welcomed with open arms.

    With the inevitable back and forth that comes with a TUF season, it stands to reason their second clash will be a fiery affair.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZkxe7fPyiM/

    Having been the consensus female fighter of the year in 2021, Peña will look to create a similarly successful 2022, which will need to start with a second victory over the woman most regard as the greatest female fighter of all time.

    Do you think Julianna Peña can defeat Amanda Nunes for a second time when they meet for a rematch later this year?

  • Peña: I’m The Star Power Nunes Needs To Be A Main Event Attraction

    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.

    After escaping the opening round, well-known to be the Brazilian’s strongest, Peña hit the gas. Having hurt a tired Nunes on the feet, she dragged the “Lioness” to the ground and submitted her.

    Peña Believes She’s The “Partner” Nunes Needs

    With the unlikely crowning of Glover Teixeira at UFC 267, 2021 had already seen its fair share of memorable title-winning performances, but not many saw this one coming. However, Peña certainly did and perhaps that’s why she is so open to the idea of granting Nunes an immediate rematch: she believes she has the reigning featherweight champion’s number.

    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.’”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CYUXXA4vEsJ/

    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: Amanda Nunes Got “Exposed” At UFC 269

    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.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CYHysQivvs7/

    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.

    Having already attempted to bust the myths surrounding her fight-winning choke, which she says was drilled in the training room prior to UFC 269, Peña has now denied the narrative that Nunes underestimated the threat she posed on December 11.

    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.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXulK21Duae/

    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.

    After UFC President Dana White revealed the former champ would be offered a quick chance for redemption, Nunes wasted no time in accepting and promising resurrection in 2022.

    Do you agree with Julianna Peña? Did she expose Amanda Nunes at UFC 269?

  • Peña Details Fight With Male Co-Worker That Left Her With 11 Stitches

    UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña has detailed the alley fight she had with a co-worker that helped shape the confidence she boasts today.

    That self-belief was on full display in the build-up to her latest appearance inside the Octagon. After getting her wish of a meeting in the cage with Amanda Nunes, a wish that confused some given the Brazilian’s utter dominance in the years prior, Peña had her chance to shock the world at UFC 269 last month.

    While most doubted her chances, “The Venezuelan Vixen” was sure of her abilities. She made good on her pre-fight prediction in the final pay-per-view co-main event of the year. Executing her game plan to perfection, she tired out the then-double champion on the feet, dragged her to the mat, and submitted her in the second round.

    Peña Reveals The Source Of Her Confidence

    While fans, fighters, and pundits in attendance at the T-Mobile Arena and in their homes were left blown away by arguably the greatest upset in UFC history, the newly crowned champ wasn’t surprised. Throughout fight week, Peña’s message was simple: I know something everyone else doesn’t.

    While some, including Nunes, put that high level of confidence down to delusion, “The Venezuelan Vixen” proved herself right on December 11. Now, over a month beyond her memorable title-winning performance, the 32-year-old has explained where her immense self-belief derives from.

    During an interview with the New York Post, the 135-pound queen narrated the story of a wild alley fight she had with a male colleague while she was working as a food expediter at a local eatery called The Onion. Far from her performances nowadays, Peña was left on the wrong side of the result on that occasion.

    “I fought a dude in an alley and got my left eye swollen shut for three days. It needed 11 stitches,” she explained.

    At The Onion, Peña worked alongside an individual she’d previously encountered while employed as a supervisor at a pizza restaurant in Spokane. As far as friendly co-workers go, the man certainly didn’t fit into that category.

    “He was just a nuisance. I constantly had to tell him what to do. I had to cut people from their shifts depending on how busy they were, and the second I could let anybody go, it would be him. I’d be like, ‘Get out of here.’”

    Like in many workplaces, banter and back and forth between colleagues was a mainstay at The Onion. That was the case with Peña despite the fact she was still in training. But when her troublesome co-worker boasted of a fighting superiority, Peña, who was evidently gritty and tough from a young age, wasn’t about to back down.

    “The management staff would always egg him on, being like, ‘Don’t mess with her. She’ll kick your ass,’ instead of telling him to knock it off or you’ll get fired,” Peña said.

    “I had just started training at that point. We would banter back and forth. He would literally be like, ‘I would lay you out and I won’t even feel bad about it.’ I’d respond, ‘Bring it the fuck on.’

    “We went out back and he knocked me down three times,” she recalled. “He punched me right in the eye. I dropped. I say this because I remember it like it was yesterday. I popped right back up. I swear to God I popped right back up. I went to attack again. Boom! He dropped me right again. Same spot in the eye. I popped right back up again and went to attack him. Boom! Right in the eye, and I dropped, and was like, ‘Fuck you!’ and I walked away.”

    Despite taking a beating on that day, Peña says her perseverance and her ability to continue bouncing right back to her feet shaped the confidence she carries with her today; the confidence that has helped mold her into a UFC champion.

    “Being able to pop back up like I did, and fight through that adversity, knowing that guy wasn’t gonna put me down, to me gave me confidence,” she said. “And, on top of that, getting the shit kicked out of me from my brothers and sisters my whole life.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CYZooyhuCqx/

    So while she has her family, coaches, and team to thank for her ongoing success in the sport of MMA, Peña also appears to have a trouble-making former colleague to show gratitude to for aiding her journey to the top.

    How do you think the colleague would fare now inside the Octagon with UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña?

  • White Says Peña Promised Him She’d Be Champion Before Her UFC Signing

    UFC President Dana White and newly-crowned UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña have recalled their first meeting back in 2013.

    After just over seven years in the world’s premier MMA organization, Peña secured her first title shot this year. But when that opportunity is against Amanda Nunes, the outcome usually seems set in stone. After all, the “Lioness” had reigned over two divisions for years, was undefeated since 2014, and had fought off the challenges of names like Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko, and Holly Holm.

    While most expected her name to be added to the list of the Brazilian’s fallen foes, “The Venezuelan Vixen” knew something most didn’t. Entering the contest with a confident aura not many associate with an opponent of Nunes, Peña shocked the world by executing her game plan to perfection, hurting and tiring the consensus female GOAT on the feet before submitting her on the ground in the second round.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXmaaWsOw5r/

    Following the incredible result, which is largely being seen as the greatest upset in UFC history, Dana White has consistently praised the new titleholder and provided a further glimpse into Peña’s immense confidence and self-belief, something many branded as delusional prior to UFC 269.

    During the post-fight press conference for the final pay-per-view of the year, White detailed the first time he met the 32-year-old Washington native. According to the UFC President, the champ predicted her future success then and there.

    “I had my kids in some jiu-jitsu tournament when they were little. And the first time I ever met Julianna Peña, she walked up to me, and introduced herself and told me who she was. And she said, ‘I’m gonna fight for you someday and I’m gonna be a world champion’—when I met her. So she’s always been like that. And yeah, she did it, man. She did it—in spectacular fashion.”

    Pena Kept Her Promise

    Julianna Pena
    Julianna Pena

    During her own appearance at the post-fight presser, Peña gave her recount of the meeting. Whilst confirming that she did make the UFC kingpin a promise, “The Venezuelan Vixen” said she told White she would win The Ultimate Fighter.

    Having proven herself right shortly after with victory in season 18 of TUF, she’s now also fulfilled the promise White believes she made in the same meeting with her title crowning earlier this month.

    “Yeah, so it was about 2013. Dana had recently allowed women to fight inside the UFC and that they were gonna have their very first Ultimate Fighter house. So I came down early to help actually Miesha get ready to train for Cat Zingano. And there were the tryouts for The Ultimate Fighter. And I caught, again, heard a rumor that he was gonna be at Syndicate gym. So I took a taxi, I went to Syndicate, and I saw him in the corner, and I walked right up to him and I said, ‘My name is Julianna Peña, and I’m gonna win The Ultimate Fighter.’ And he was like, [CHUCKLES] ‘Alright.’ 

    “And so, yeah, when I won The Ultimate Fighter, that was great. That was how the first encounter that I ever had with Dana. And I’ve been telling him, too, I’m literally telling him all the time, ‘I want that fight. I want that fight. Give me that fight.’ And I think maybe, subconsciously, he was just trying to protect me. Like, ‘No, you don’t want that fight,’ you know? He’s trying to be like, ‘Trust me. You don’t want that fight.’ But I’ve been gunning for it this entire time, and he finally gave me the opportunity, the opportunity that I’ve been asking for. And I’m just (eternally) grateful for him giving me that chance. He gave me my shot, and I’m so happy for that.”

    Having secured the bantamweight throne, the next step for Peña will be to further legitimize her place atop the mountain and prove her dominance over Nunes through a rematch in 2022.

    With White confirming the option of an immediate chance at redemption for the Brazilian, and the former champ expressing her intent to regain the belt, it seems likely we’ll see the two rivals face-to-face again next year.

    Do you expect Julianna Peña to remain on the bantamweight throne throughout 2022?

  • Peña Issues A Challenge For Those Who Think Nunes Quit At UFC 269

    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.

    Peña Makes Her Doubters A Guarantee

    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.

    Having previously suggested Nunes had no choice but to tap out to the pressure of her choke, the newly-crowned bantamweight queen has now gone a step further. During an appearance on The Jim Rome Show, Peña challenged those doubting the UFC 269 finish to endure the choke themselves.

    “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.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXxLHLYD14Z/

    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?

  • Julianna Peña To Follow “Come One, Come All” Mindset As Champion

    Newly-crowned UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña is aware of the target she has on her back as the 135-pound queen, but she’s welcoming every threat and every challenge.

    Amanda Nunes retaining the bantamweight title throughout 2022 was perhaps one of the few absolute UFC certainties in the eye of many fans and pundits. But most hadn’t considered the possibility of Peña shocking the world at the final pay-per-view of 2022. In the UFC 269 co-main event, she did exactly that.

    With an aura of confidence behind her that many doubted and branded delusional, “The Venezuelan Vixen” backed her abilities and delivered in style. After making it through the opening round unscathed, the challenger executed her gameplay to perfection in the second.

    After hurting Nunes on the feet and tiring her out, Peña pulled the “Lioness” to the mat and submitted her in front of a sold-out T-Mobile Arena crowd, completing what was one of the biggest upsets in the promotion’s history.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXZNFgmMNXs/

    From The Hunter To The Hunted

    Having reached the top of the food chain at 135 pounds, Peña is embracing the changing dynamic to her career. Whereas she’d been chasing a title shot and championship glory until this month, the 32-year-old is now the one everyone else in the division is pursuing. While some may crumble under that pressure, “The Venezuelan Vixen” is ready for everything.

    During an interview with Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole, Peña discussed the position she’s found herself in atop the bantamweight mountain. Knowing that the target is now well and truly on her back, the champ is intending to welcome all comers during her reign.

    “Come one, come all. Like, come on with it, girl. Like, literally, I know that that’s the type of position that I was gonna be put in. I know that as the champion, you gotta big bullseye on your back. And I knew that I was gunning for that bullseye vs. Amanda,” Peña said.

    “And now, that bullseye is on me, and I welcome that. I embrace that. I am excited for that. And like I said, that was last week. This week, we need to talk about what we have to do moving forward in order to defend.

    “This I will defend with my life. And I am ready to do that. And moving forward, it’s all about what’s next and not what I did back then but what’s gonna come ahead in my future.”

    The first woman looking to hit the bullseye on Peña’s back will seemingly be Nunes. After UFC President Dana White confirmed the option of a rematch is there for the reigning featherweight champion, Nunes appeared to accept the chance for redemption soon after.

    With that in mind, it seems likely we’ll be seeing Nunes vs. Peña 2 sometime in the first half of 2022. If White is to be believed, it could be the biggest woman’s fight of all time.

    Do you believe Julianna Peña will successfully defend her title in 2022?

  • Dana White: Peña/Nunes 2 Will Be The Biggest Women’s Fight Of All Time

    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.

    White Has Big Aspirations For The Rematch

    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.

    How Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm changed WMMA forever
    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?

  • Kayla Harrison: It Would Only Take Me One Arm To Beat Julianna Peña

    Kayla Harrison doesn’t think Julianna Peña would fare well against her.

    At UFC 269, Peña submitted Amanda Nunes to become the new bantamweight champion, and recently, she took a shot at Nunes’ training partner Harrison. She claimed the PFL champion is a B-League fighter, which Harrison did not take kindly.

    Although Harrison has not signed yet, she was asked about a potential fight against Peña after her comments. To no surprise, the two-time Olympic gold medalist believes she would beat Peña with ease.

    “I think that Julianna, you know, congrats to her for her victory, I know she must be on cloud nine right now, and I would just caution her to be careful. You don’t say stuff like that to people like me unless you mean it,” Harrison said to TMZ Sports. “This isn’t like a ‘Conor McGregor, let’s just talk a little sh*t.’ Don’t bite off more than you can chew. And I have a lot of respect for her as well. She went out there and she executed a great game plan, and she did what she had to do. But I’m not the lesser of anything or anyone or anybody. When I come to fight, you’re gonna know you’re in a fight. Be careful what you say.

    Kayla Harrison
    Photo by Dave Mandel/Invicta FC

    “I think it’s just dumb, too. She fights at 135, I fight at, right now, 155, so unless you’re willing to back it up, then don’t say stuff like that, you know, just don’t open that can of worms,” Harrison continued. “Don’t go there… Honestly, I’d probably have to chop off my arm to make 135. ’45, I can make, but I’d have to chop off an arm to make 135, and I think that it only would take me one arm to beat her.”

    Even though Kayla Harrison and Julianna Peña are taking shots at one another, it’s unlikely they will ever fight each other. Harrison is not in the UFC yet, and she competes at featherweight and lightweight while Peña is a bantamweight and has even expressed interest in going to 125lbs.

    What do you make of Kayla Harrison claiming she could beat Julianna Peña with one arm?

  • Peña To Sleepers: “I Am Very Proud To Say I Woke You Up”

    Julianna Peña hopes her recent win over Amanda Nunes can teach doubters a lesson.

    The newly crowned UFC Bantamweight Champion Peña is well aware that the fight world didn’t expect her to come out on top against Amanda Nunes at UFC 269. But after securing a shocking second-round rear naked choke submission win over the weekend, Peña is happy to tell everyone they made a mistake by not giving her a chance.

    Peña attributes a large part of her success to a positive mindset heading into the fight. She says she had confidence from the start and was able to put aside the vocal skepticism that was placed upon her.

    “The message to those people is that I just proved that it can be done, you know what I mean? It’s the power of the mind. It’s the power of your faith. And it’s the power of your desire and your willpower and your determination,” Peña said on The MMA Hour. “I know that people were sleeping on me. I know that people have tried to cast me and throw me in a box as this underdog. But I know one thing for sure. If you have two girls, whether they sit in the bottom of the seed or the top of the seed, if you have two girls that are willing and able to sign on the dotted line and fight, you have a fight.

    “And as long as you fight and you go out there and prove how big your dog is, then that’s all that matters. Fighting in a steel cage is very simple. It’s a fistfight in a steel cage. Anything can happen, and anything is possible.”

    Peña Wants Story To Be Seen In The Bigger Picture

    Julianna Pena
    Julianna Pena (Image Credit: Getty Images/Carmen Mandato)

    Peña doesn’t want her win to just be a story about herself. Instead, she hopes that her victory can teach people to not count out others, or even themselves.

    “The word ‘impossible’ literally is broken down to ‘I’m possible.’ And I have always believed in myself and my ability. I have just always been so loud about wanting a shot. Just somebody give me a shot. Give me an opportunity. Give me my chance. Everybody else has gotten their chances and no one will give me my chance. And that’s why I was so frustrated because I felt like I’ve been doing this for as long as the division has been open and screaming and kicking and punching and screaming for my shot and no one would give me the opportunity.

    “So to finally get that opportunity and for all those people that were sleeping on me, I am very proud to say I woke you up, and I hope that this is a lesson learned for anybody that has ever doubted me or doubted themselves.”

    Did you count Julianna Peña out before her fight against Amanda Nunes?

  • Julianna Peña Dismisses ‘B-League’ Kayla Harrison, Harrison Responds

    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.

    Peña pulled off a surprising upset by scoring a second-round submission win. After the win, the new champion took a shot at Harrison, explaining why the two-time PFL champion is not on her radar.

    “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?

  • Julianna Peña’s Victory Lap Includes Circling Back To Three Opponents

    Newly crowned UFC bantamweight champion Julianna Peña is ready and willing to fight whomever the UFC puts in front of her, but there are three names she specifically has in mind.

    At UFC 269, Julianna Peña pulled off the upset of the year and one of the biggest upsets in UFC history when she submitted Amanda Nunes in the co-main event. UFC President Dana White has already expressed interest in booking a rematch between the two if Nunes wants it. But what about the new champ?

    “The Venezuelan Vixen” did not hesitate to commit to the idea.

    “We can do it next week, I’m free next month, two months from now. Whenever they want to do it, I’m ready,” Peña said during the UFC 269 post-fight press conference. “In all fairness, I’ve been in camp for a year. I really think my daughter deserves some well-deserved mommy time, a little vacation. After that, definitely. If she wants to do a rematch, we can do a rematch.”

    Julianna Peña Eyes Two Other Rematches

    Julianna Pena eyes quick turnaround after submission loss to Germaine de Randamie at UFC Fight Island 4 - MMAmania.com

    The outside world did not have much faith in Julianna Peña heading into UFC 269, but there was one thing most everyone could agree on about her: she was not short on confidence.

    Therefore, it should come as no surprise that she sees herself remaining in full control of whom she fights next outside of an Amanda Nunes rematch. And if she has it her way, not only will she give a rematch, but she will also receive two rematches to avenge her only losses in the UFC.

    “I think that there’s some rematches that I want to do. I would like to go down and challenge Valentina Shevchenko. I would love to get that rematch against Germaine de Randamie. I would love a rematch, if that’s what she wants, against Amanda Nunes. Those are the rematches that I have in my peripheral.”

    Peña’s loss to current women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko took place in 2017 via armbar in what was then a #1-contender bout. And last year, Peña dropped a fight to former featherweight champ Germaine de Randamie via third-round guillotine.

    Below, you check out the start of Julianna Peña’s victory lap around her naysayers in this Octagon interview following her UFC 269 upset of Amanda Nunes.

    How do you think Julianna Peña would fare if this rematch tour comes together?

  • Peña Looks To Be ‘A Serial Killer’ Against Nunes Over Getting ‘Cute’ Title

    Julianna Peña has some serious goals in her UFC 269 title fight with Amanda Nunes, and getting the belt is secondary.

    Peña is looking to accomplish what man believe to be an insurmountable task when she faces off against Nunes in the co-main event of this weekend’s UFC 269. She hopes to be the first person to get a win over the champ-champ since 2014, ending her 12-fight unbeaten streak.

    This is the first opportunity Peña has had at getting a UFC title, and while that may be intimidating to some, it is not even the primary focus that she has heading into the fight.

    Speaking to ESPN, she explained that she is more focused on performing at her best and doing the things that she believes will lead to her fighting her best fight, with the title being a secondary factor in her focus.

    “If I get a belt at the end of the night, that’s cute.  But at the end of the day, it’s about challenging myself, and taking this opportunity, and seizing the moment. And no one’s gonna hand you anything in this life. You gotta go out there and get it. And that’s my job, and it’s my opportunity. And I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself. I feel like I got everything to gain, nothing to lose, and the pressure is mostly on her,“ Peña said.

    “But for the most part, I just have to stick to the task at hand, focus on the level of intensity that I’m bringing, and realize that I’m a serial killer. And on that night, my heart is black, I don’t have a heart, and I’m going in there to kill or be killed.”

    This is certainly an admirable mindset from Julianna Peña as she prepares for what is undoubtedly the biggest fight of her MMA career. Of course, she has a lofty test ahead of her and will be going up against one of the best to ever do it in Amanda Nunes, but it seems clear that the Venezuelan Vixen is prepared to give it her all.

    Watch her full interview in the video below: