MMA News

Tag: Julianna PeƱa

  • Julianna PeƱa Defends Joe Rogan Amidst Recent Outrage

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna PeƱa doesn’t understand all of the heat coming Joe Rogan’s way after recent COVID-19 claims.

    PeƱa is on top of the world after her upset win over Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight title at UFC 269. She has made the rounds in the media since earning the belt and is enjoying the perks of fame and fortune.

    But that hasn’t stopped PeƱa from expressing her opinions openly and in some cases, taking shots at her recently defeated opponent.

    During a recent interview with the New York Post, PeƱa explained her desire to go on Rogan’s podcast and defended him against recent critics.

    ā€œI was like, ā€˜Joe, I wanna come on the podcast.ā€™ He was like, ā€˜Letā€™s fā€“king go. How about January 26?ā€™ā€

    PeƱa went on to elaborate on why she feels perplexed by the amount of hate and critique heading Rogan’s direction.

    ā€œItā€™s a little crazy to me how mad people get about his opinions,” PeƱa said. “I have a philosophy where if people arenā€™t inciting violence, or in positions of government authority where they hold power over others, I donā€™t get hung up over anybodyā€™s opinions. I get much more mad about actions than peopleā€™s opinions. I see him as someone trying to learn in real-time, and just because he says something now that people think is bad, itā€™s not necessarily a permanent harmful thought. I think heā€™s valuable for the proverbial conversation.ā€

    UFC champ Julianna PeƱa talks wild alley brawl, Joe Rogan
    Joe Rogan Interviews Julianna PeƱa After UFC 269 Championship Win


    ā€œI find him very interesting. I actually find a lot of what he says to be like-minded with the way that I feel. Not all things, obviously. I listen to the podcast, but itā€™s not like Iā€™m waiting for him to say something people disagree with him.ā€

    Some have wondered why Rogan continues to commentate given the success he’s found in other ventures, including landing a $100 million Spotify deal. PeƱa thinks Rogan is still in the booth because of his love for the sport.

    ā€œIt is, and the fact that we even still get him is a blessing,” PeƱa said. “The fact that he still wants to do it, and that heā€™s still passionate about it, shows the kind of person he is, where his heart is and how loyal he is. I admire that. Thereā€™s not anything bad that I can say about Joe. I think heā€™s a genuine, what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of person, and thatā€™s a rarity in this day and age ā€“ to see people who are ā€œno bullsā€“t.ā€

    Rogan has been accused of spreading COVID-19 misinformation and some have called for Spotify to part ways with the prominent podcaster. Some have criticized him for promoting the drug Ivermectin, which he used as a treatment for COVID-19 but is not officially recommended as a treatment by the FDA. UFC President Dana White and many others disagree and have shared their own testimonies and viewpoints on the subject in defense of Rogan.

    PeƱa and Rogan have never shied away from expressing their thoughts, and their planned podcast episode will certainly be seen and heard by millions.

    What are your thoughts on Julianna PeƱa and Joe Rogan?

  • Julianna PeƱa Is Down For Meisha Tate’s Plan to Both hold UFC Titles

    Julianna PeƱa likes Miesha Tate’s idea of them both holding UFC titles.

    Julianna PeƱa and Miesha Tate are good friends so wouldn’t them both holding UFC titles at the same time be great? That is the idea that Tate has for the future. She has decided to make the move down to flyweight in order to pursue a championship without attempting to dethrone her friend and former training partner. Upon hearing this idea, the bantamweight champ has to agree.

    ā€œI think that thatā€™s great,” PeƱa told MMA Fighting. “If Miesha, (who) I do believe will find a ton of success at 125 and can fight for the belt at 125, I think there would be nothing better, especially for the UFC and for the sport, and particularly for the state of Washington to have two Washington champions at 125 and 135. Thatā€™s the plan.ā€

    Tate decided to return to the UFC following a four-year retirement. As a former champion, Tate was looking to regain her belt in the bantamweight division. However, her path was stalled when she lost to Ketlen Vieira in November. At that time it was PeƱa who got the title shot. She defeated Amanda Nunes in December and will now be the one to beat at 135 pounds.

    Because of their close relationship, Tate would rather take her shot at cutting weight and fighting at 125 pounds instead of waiting around. She has her first test at flyweight when she takes on Lauren Murphy in May at UFC Fight Night 209.

    If she can get past Murphy, who is sitting in the #3 spot in the rankings, she might be next for champion Valentina Shevchenko. The only two fighters ahead of Murphy on the official rankings are Katlyn Chookagian who is no longer signed with the UFC and JĆ©ssica Andrade, who is making a move back to strawweight.

    Do you think this plan for Tate and PeƱa to both hold UFC titles at the same time is feasible?

  • Miesha Tate Plots FW/BW Takeover Along With Julianna PeƱa

    Miesha Tate wants to hold a UFC belt right next to her friend Julianna PeƱa.

    Miesha Tate is the former bantamweight champion. She is now looking to add another championship to her rƩsumƩ but this time at flyweight. She recently decided to make the move down to 125 pounds mainly so she would not have to face her friend, newly crowned bantamweight champion Julianna PeƱa.

    Tate and PeƱa go way back to before PeƱa was in the UFC. They trained together and then Tate had the chance to coach PeƱa on The Ultimate Fighter. Now that PeƱa is holding the strap at 135 pounds, Tate doesn’t want to be the one to take it away.

    “Another reason, although I know Iā€™m a little bit away from getting a potential title shot, but with Julie being crowned the champion at 135 also, I would just prefer if we could be champions at the same time together and Pacific Northwest Takeover,ā€ she said on The MMA Hour.

    Not wanting to dethrone her friend was not the only reason Tate gave for this move. After suffering her first loss since returning from retirement, Tate feels she will be able to perform better at flyweight. After five years away from the UFC, Tate made her comeback last year. Physically, she seemed to be in better shape than ever. She appeared leaner and perhaps this led to the decision to drop down the additional ten pounds.

    Tate already has her flyweight debut all set. She will be taking on Lauren Murphy at the UFC Fight Night event on May 14. Murphy is a longtime contender at 125 pounds. She is coming off a title shot loss to champion Valentina Shevchenko, which was her first loss in three years. Murphy is currently ranked third in the division. If Tate can get past her, she might find herself pretty close to a title shot.

    Do you think Miesha Tate and Julianna PeƱa will reign as UFC champions simultaneously?

  • Julianna PeƱa Reacts To Amanda Nunes Leaving ATT: “What A Zoo”

    Julianna PeƱa has reacted to the news of Amanda Nunes leaving her long-time gym of American Top Team following UFC 269.

    At UFC 269, Julianna PeƱa 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 PeƱa 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 PeƱa broke Nunes in the second round.

    It's something that is not a regular rear-naked choke," Julianna Pena sheds light on her extraordinary rear-naked choke at UFC 269 Ā» FirstSportz

    For Nunes’ part, she hasn’t said much about her post-fight reflections. She has expressed interest in an immediate rematch against PeƱa 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 PeƱa 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 PeƱa was at least one major reason behind this career-altering decision.

    Julianna Pena Reacts To Amanda Nunes Exiting American Top Team

    https://www.photojoiner.net/image/9lg0Kns8

    So how did PeƱa 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.

    ā€œYeah, what a zoo, huh?” PeƱa said as she took a sip of her cold beverage.

    PeƱa 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.

    ā€œBest of luck, you know?” PeƱa said with sustained nonchalance. “I just hope everything goes according to her plans and that we can get our fight booked. Thatā€™s all I care about.ā€

    PeƱa 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 PeƱa is carefree about where else the fight may take place or where Nunes will be training in the meantime.

  • PeƱa Would Love To Bring Ronda Rousey Out Of Retirement For Grudge Match

    Julianna PeƱa is already sorting out opponents for her championship reign.

    It has been just one month since Julianna PeƱa became UFC bantamweight champion, but she is already making a list of possible opponents. The top name on her dream list is a well-known name, but no longer in the UFC. PeƱa has a desire to lure Ronda Rousey back from retirement to settle an old score between them.

    PeƱa got her start in the UFC as a member of The Ultimate Fighter Season 18. That season was coached by Rousey and Miesha Tate. PeƱa was a member of Tate’s team and also a friend of hers. Throughout the season, there was a lot of hatred between the coaches and PeƱa. Being friendly with Tate, PeƱa took some of that hate from Rousey as well.

    ā€œShe really had a tough time getting along with me on The Ultimate Fighter,” PeƱa told The NY Post. “She didnā€™t like me at all because I was friends with Miesha Tate. She wasnā€™t the nicest.ā€

    Rousey has a very successful run as the champion of the bantamweight division but hung up her gloves back in 2016. After a short time with the WWE, Rousey is now out of combat sports and raising a family. That doesn’t stop PeƱa from calling her out though. She would welcome a shot at that former champ if she ever got the itch to return.

    ā€œIt would be amazing to pull Ronda Rousey back out of retirement,ā€ She said. ā€œIt would be great to have her come back to UFC and fight again.ā€

    PeƱa is just beginning her run as the 135-pound champion and has already done something Rousey could not, beat Amanda Nunes. PeƱa is not holding out for Rousey at this time but she is still holding a grudge.

    ā€œI donā€™t know that sheā€™ll recall this because she ended up getting taken out by her entire team,ā€ PeƱa said. ā€œBut when we won ā€˜The Ultimate Fighterā€™ and got out of the house, she told me that, ā€˜Youā€™re gonna give me a tougher fight than Miesha Tate, but when that day comes Iā€™m still gonna kick your assā€¦.ā€™ I kind of said to her, ā€˜Weā€™ll see.”

    Would you like to see Ronda Rousey return to the UFC and face Julianna PeƱa?

  • Julianna PeƱa Says 135lb Weight Cut Was Nunes’ First UFC 269 Battle

    Newly-crowned UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna PeƱa believes making weight was the first battle for Amanda Nunes ahead of UFC 269.

    At the final pay-per-view of 2021, Nunes saw her dominant two-division reign collapse at the hands of an unlikely challenger, although every threat to her throne had been seen as that up until “The Venezuelan Vixen” shocked the world.

    Ahead of the event, it looked like business as usual for Nunes. But inside the Octagon, things were far from normal for the “Lioness.”

    PeƱa, 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.

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

    PeƱa: Nunes Had 2 Fights To Prepare For

    PeƱa 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, PeƱa 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, PeƱa 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.

    Amanda Nunes
    Ā© Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

    “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 thereā€”just to wear her out, get her tired.”

    If her weight cut did play a part, Nunes all be hoping to resolve the issue in 2022 when she has her chance for redemption. Following the shocking result, UFC President Dana White confirmed the Brazilian would be offered an immediate rematch, something she’s already welcomed with open arms.

    Do you think Amanda Nunes’ weight cut played a part in her defeat to Julianna PeƱa at UFC 269?

  • Julianna PeƱa: Amanda Nunes Will Always Be Considered The GOAT

    UFC bantamweight champion Julianna PeƱa 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 PeƱa in their matchup. Instead, the fiery PeƱa proved to be a game opponent in the opening minutes and came out with a barrage of punches in Round 2.

    After exhausting Nunes, PeƱa 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, PeƱa 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,” PeƱa 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 PeƱa, Amanda Nunes Could Be On Track To Battle Again

    Amanda Nunes, Julianna Pena
    Amanda Nunes, Julianna Pena, Image Credit: Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

    An immediate rematch between PeƱa and Nunes could be next in the bantamweight division. Both women agreed to it, and UFC President Dana White touted it as “the biggest women’s fight of all time.”

    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 PeƱa 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 PeƱa/Nunes rivalry appears to just be getting started.

    What is your early prediction for an Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna PeƱa rematch?

  • Kayla Harrison Pays Up After Losing Nunes/PeƱa Wager

    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 PeƱa at UFC 269.

    Prior to UFC 269, Kayla Harrison, said that she felt Nunes will be ready to ā€œmurderā€ PeƱa come fight night. As we now know, that is far from what took place inside the T-Mobile Arena on December 11. Instead, PeƱa 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, ā€œNo, sheā€™s not,” to which Harrison responded by daring Muhammad to make things interesting with a bet.

    “Wanna make a bet, homie?” Harrison asked. Muhammad accepted the bet and laid down his terms. 

    “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.”

    “Deal,” Muhammad replied.

    Kayla Harrison Pays Up With Karaoke

    When Kayla Harrison made this wager with Muhammad, little did she know that she would end up in a growing feud with PeƱa after the fight. The two have exchanged words after PeƱa dismissed the “B-League” Harrison as a potential opponent. PeƱa 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.

    You’re welcome, and Merry Christmas.

    Will you be looking out for Kayla Harrison’s debut karaoke album?

  • Julianna PeƱa Speculates Amanda Nunes Is Relieved Without The Belt

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna PeƱa thinks Amanda Nunes may not be too disappointed to no longer be on the throne of the 135-pound division.

    PeƱa 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.

    PeƱa 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.

    During a recent interview with Yahoo Sports, PeƱa elaborated on her speculation of what Nunes could be going through after the fight.

    ā€œI think a gigantic weight has been taken off of her shoulders,” PeƱa said. “She doesnā€™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 donā€™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.ā€

    A rematch between PeƱa 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 PeƱa.

    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 PeƱa’s comments?

  • Nina Nunes Weighs In On Julianna PeƱaā€™s ā€œMom Champā€ Remarks

    Nina Nunes has weighed in on the ā€œmom champā€ controversy that involves her wife Amanda Nunes and Julianna PeƱa.

    A comment made via social media by Nina Nunes this week supports Amandaā€™s claim that not giving birth to her child shouldnā€™t take away her status as the first ā€œmom champ” of the UFC.

    The issue stems from a comment PeƱa 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 ā€œmom champā€ 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 doesnā€™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.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXrk2YmOflm/

    ā€œNot 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,ā€ she said in a recent Instagram post. ā€œShe 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.ā€

    The controversial remark from PeƱa has caused a stir in recent days. Amanda Nunes commented on the claim earlier this week, sharing a similar sentiment to what Nina Nunes said in her post.

    ā€œI may not have birthed my Daughter. If I wanted to I could have,ā€ Nunes said. ā€œI 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 doesnā€™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 PeƱa].ā€

    Soon after the UFC 269 press conference, PeƱa clarified her remarks in an interview. PeƱa 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 PeƱa and the Nunes family?

  • PeƱa Responds To “Ronda Rousey Wannabe” Harrison’s Warning

    If Kayla Harrison was expecting a retraction from Julianna PeƱa, she may be miffed when she discovers a harsh double-down of disrespect instead.

    After Julianna PeƱa completed her unexpected transition from underdog to champion, she became the belle of the media ball, taking part in numerous interviews covering a wide range of topics. One of those topics was highly coveted free agent and two-time PFL lightweight season winner Kayla Harrison.

    Kayla Harrison
    Kayla Harrison (Photo: Instagram @JudoKayla)

    Given the fact that Harrison is in the middle of her free agency, that means the possibilities are endless and every high-level female competitor might have to field a question about the Olympian at some point.

    When the topic of Harrison arrived at PeƱa’s mantel, she treated it and Harrison’s achievements like yesterday’s rubbish.

    ā€œI think sheā€™s the lesser of the training partners for her and Amanda Nunes,ā€ PeƱaĀ told MMA Junkie. ā€œIf thatā€™s the case and I just took out Amanda, I donā€™t know what kind of position that would put her in. But sheā€™s been fighting the B-leagues. Iā€™ve been fighting in the UFC, Iā€™ve been fighting at the top of the division. Iā€™m fighting in the biggest league of this sport so Iā€™m not paying too much attention to what sheā€™s doing down there.ā€

    When Harrison became aware of these comments, she issued a warning to PeƱa, cautioning the new champion to watch her words and to not bite off more than she can chew.

    She also discredited PeƱa’s victory over Nunes to some degree when she stated that Nunes would “starch” PeƱa 9 times out of 10. And if that’s not enough, Harrison capped off her retort by letting it be known that she could beat PeƱa with just one arm.

    Julianna PeƱa Responds To Kayla Harrison’s Warning

    Pregnant Julianna Pena explains decision to put UFC career on hold - MMA Fighting
    Julianna PeƱa

    In an interview this week with BBC Sport, PeƱa was anything but “careful” with her words. By Harrison’s standards, it would be more accurate to say that “The Venezuelan Vixen” was speaking outright recklessly.

    “Who is this Ronda Rousey wannabe?” PeƱa asked, still befuddled at the mere mention of Harrison during her interview.

    PeƱa would then let Harrison know just how unafraid of her warning she was by offering the lightweight a warm invitation to unchartered territory.

    “Kayla is not on my radar. I don’t even think she can make 135lbs, but if she wants to make the weight, pack your stuff and come on over here, honey.”

    PeƱa would then reiterate that, in the meantime, her focus is not on Harrison or anyone other than Amanda Nunes, whom PeƱa is expected to rematch in a bout Dana White believes will be the biggest women’s fight in UFC history.

    Do you think Kayla Harrison will attempt to take Julianna PeƱa up on her invitation?

  • Holly Holm Believes Itā€™s Feasible She Could Face PeƱa Next

    Former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm believes it’s “feasible” she could be the first challenger to Julianna PeƱa’s reign on the 135-pound throne.

    Since her last title shot, a brutal knockout loss to former titleholder Amanda Nunes in 2019, Holm has surged back to contention with unanimous decision victories over Raquel Pennington and Irene Aldana. However, injuries have stalled the 40-year-old’s pursuit of regaining the belt and joining Rose Namajunas in the two-time champ club.

    “The Preacher’s Daughter” was set for an apparent title eliminator against PeƱa at UFC Vegas 26 in May. After being forced out due to hydronephrosis, Holm found herself sidelined while “The Venezuelan Vixen” was accelerated to the title.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CMnGD-ZpHmV/

    Having had her return fight against Norma Dumont in October also called off, this time due to a knee injury, Holm’s string of bad luck means she was unable to enter the Octagon in 2021 and it’ll have been well over a year since her victory over Aldana when she does make the walk again.

    That, understandably, has frustrated Holm to a great degree. Nevertheless, she’s recovering and says she won’t let her injuries and problems “break” her.

    ā€œIā€™m super frustrated,ā€ Holm said when speaking to MMA Fighting. ā€œI definitely am on the mend. I hope to be back in there, back training and get back in there. Iā€™m feeling a little better. I had to take care of some things. Itā€™s super frustrating, especially when I see people fighting, especially [Nunes vs. PeƱa] but all the time.

    ā€œAny time I watch the fights, itā€™s so frustrating cause I want to get in there so badly. I donā€™t want to embrace not being able to fight but Iā€™ve been very fortunate to have a career where Iā€™ve been pretty active. This last yearā€™s had some stuff thatā€™s been kind of from left field. Iā€™m handling it. Iā€™m going to keep pushing forward. Iā€™m not going to let it break me and I want to be back in there very soon.”

    Holm Sees PeƱa Matchup Being Resurrected

    Holly Holm, Julianna Pena
    Holly Holm, Julianna Pena

    Despite her lengthy layoff, Holm believes there’s a chance she’ll find herself in her sixth UFC championship fight when she makes her comeback. Having previously been scheduled to face PeƱa, the veteran thinks there’s a chance that matchup will be re-visited soon, this time with the belt on the line.

    After Holm’s injury saw PeƱa secure a title shot, the challenger did the unthinkable. At UFC 269 earlier this month, “The Venezuelan Vixen” brought the fight to Nunes like few had done before her. After hurting the “Lioness” on the feet, PeƱa dragged the Brazilian to the mat and submitted her in what was undoubtedly one of the greatest upsets of all time.

    Holm, who knows a thing or two about upsetting the odds, believes it’s “feasible” she returns to face the champ before Nunes has her chance to regain the gold.

    ā€œItā€™s honestly, thatā€™s a very feasible thing [that PeƱa could be next],ā€ Holm said. ā€œYou never know whatā€™s going to happen. Are they going to say letā€™s rematch right away? Thereā€™s been times a fighter will say ā€˜I need a little more time before a rematchā€™ or ā€˜I need this, I need that.ā€™ So you never know whatā€™s going to happen.”

    But before that, Holm will have to ensure she’s 100% ready and fit for a return, and the fact she can’t say she is at the moment is clearly an annoyance for “The Preacher’s Daughter.”

    ā€œSo yeah itā€™s super frustrating. I want to be right back in there. I want to be able to say hey, Iā€™m ready to fight whoever, whenever. Iā€™m real close to that. Itā€™s super frustrating for sure.ā€

    Given her age and experience in the sport, it stands to reason Holm’s return will signal her final charge for a second title crowning. With how the current champion got there, anything is certainly possible.

    How do you think a fight between champion Julianna PeƱa and former titleholder Holly Holm would play out?

  • Julianna PeƱa Says Bettor Won $2 Million Off Her UFC 269 Victory

    Julianna PeƱa won big at UFC 269, but many people lost big on their bets because of her.

    Julianna PeƱa is now the undisputed bantamweight champion. After winning the belt at UFC 269 with a submission victory over Amanda Nunes, PeƱa made history. Many believe that PeƱa’s win over Nunes was the biggest upset in UFC history.

    With big upsets come big betting losses and wins. PeƱa 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.

    ā€œSorry that that man lost so much money,” PeƱa said. “He shouldā€™ve bet on me. He shouldā€™ve took that $20,000 and made $2 million because I heard somebody else made that amount.ā€

    Coming into the bout at UFC 269, people were seriously doubting PeƱa. 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.

    ā€œI think probably the biggest thing is that I havenā€™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, itā€™s either kill or be killed. And you know that Iā€™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 thatā€™s probably why they werenā€™t really on my side at all.ā€

    PeƱa might have a rematch with Nunes on her agenda following this win, and she is currently placed as the underdog again for the hypothetical matchup. This is perhaps due to Nunes’ rĆ©sumĆ©. But after watching how their UFC 269 bout played out, you can bet that Pena will have more backers than she did last time.

    Would you bet on PeƱa winning again in a potential rematch with Amanda Nunes?

  • Teddy Atlas Compares PeƱa Over Nunes To Two Historic Combat Upsets

    Teddy Atlas has compared the recent win by Julianna PeƱa to some of the biggest upsets in combat sports history.

    PeƱaā€™s win against Amanda Nunes has shocked the combat sports world. PeƱa picked up a win last weekend in the UFC 269 co-main event, ending a back-and-forth battle in the second round with a rear-naked choke submission.

    Many have since questioned where the result stands in the history of upsets in MMA. Is it one of the biggest shocks we have seen in the Octagon thus far?

    Atlas, a famous boxing trainer and combat sports pundit, recently weighed in about what fights he could compare PeƱaā€™s recent win against Amanda Nunes to. Racking his brain about the fight, he considered a ’90s boxing outcome and a more recent UFC result as two fair comparisons.

    “The first comparison that comes to you is Buster Douglas and [Mike] Tyson. When you think of the enormity of the upset, you know,ā€ he said on his podcast The Fight with Teddy Atlas. ā€œBut I was surprised [the commentators] didn’t mention one that was pretty damn enormous right in their own sport. And that was [Holly] Holm and [Ronda] Rousey. People forget how dominant Rousey was. I mean, Rousey was a monster. I mean, she was Godzilla and when she got stopped and beatenā€¦ she got beat by Holly Holm, who was a former [boxer].” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    Comparing PeƱa vs. Nunes To Upsets Of The Past

    Dana White: my
    Image Credit: AP/Andy Brownbill

    Douglasā€™ 1990 win over Tyson is legendary and is one of the most notorious upsets in sports history. The fight saw Douglas not only enter as a 42-to-1 underdog but also make a comeback after being knocked down to later stop Tyson in the 10th round.

    The comparison of Nunes and Rouseyā€™s upset losses has been made by many recently. The results were both widely regarded as a massive upset, and both fights declared the end of dominant reigns at bantamweight.

    Itā€™s certainly up for debate where PeƱaā€™s win ranks in the grand scheme of upsets. However, if thereā€™s one thing for sure, itā€™s that the bantamweight title fight will be discussed by fans for years to come.

    Where would you rank PeƱaā€™s upset victory over Amanda Nunes in MMA history?

  • Nunes Issues Strong Response To PeƱa’s “Mom Champ” Comments

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes has responded to Julianna Pena’s controversial “mom champ” remarks.

    Nunes fell to PeƱa 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.

    After her historic win, PeƱa claimed that she, not Nunes, is the first “mom champ” in the UFC. Nunes and her wife Nina welcomed their first child in late 2020.

    ā€œThe UFC absolutely needs to create a new belt for me It needs to be ā€˜The Baddest Mom on the Planet,ā€™ PeƱa said during theĀ UFC 269 post-fight press conference. ā€œAnd you know, Iā€™m not trying to take away anything from Amanda. Sheā€™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.ā€

    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 PeƱa.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXrHuk1Pcfb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    “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 doesnā€™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. PeƱa has yet to respond to Nunes’ post as of this writing.

    Nunes and PeƱa 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 PeƱa 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 PeƱa’s comments will continue to be addressed publically.

    What are your thoughts on the Amanda Nunes/Julianna PeƱa “Mom Champ” controversy?

  • Miesha Tate Praying Not To Fight Friend Julianna PeƱa, Open To 125

    Former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate is hoping to avoid a fight with her friend and reigning 135-pound titleholder Julianna PeƱa and could move down to flyweight to do so.

    Last weekend, PeƱa proved the likes of Chael Sonnen and Cris Cyborg right and blew the minds of the rest of the MMA community by dethroning the seemingly unstoppable Amanda Nunes. Ahead of the UFC 269 co-main event, the challenger’s confidence and self-belief were branded as “delusional” by the champ and many fans, some of whom were left with shocked faces inside the T-Mobile Arena.

    After a strong opening round for Nunes, “The Venezuelan Vixen” flew out the gate in the second, taking the fight to the “Lioness” on the feet. After hurting the Brazilian, PeƱa dragged her to the mat and forced a quick tap, completing one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.

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

    Tate Could Pursue A Different Belt

    Since the incredible result, talk has turned to PeƱa’s reign and future opponents. However, one of the biggest names in the division and a former titleholder doesn’t appear willing to face the newly-crowned champion if she works her way back to the belt.

    Miesha Tate, a good friend and occasional training partner of “The Venezuelan Vixen,” is expecting PeƱa to retain the gold in her likely rematch with Nunes. With that could come a tricky scenario.

    Despite maintaining aspirations of having a UFC strap wrapped around her waist again, “Cupcake” told MMA Junkie that she would rather avoid entering the Octagon with PeƱa. Tate even suggested she could pursue Valentina Shevchenko’s flyweight gold instead.

    ā€œA lot can change between now and then, so I have to win and do my job so I think what really Iā€™ve got to do is win and focus on that. If Julieā€™s still the champion by the time that I get there, then I think thatā€™s a conversation we have at that time. Iā€™ve probably got to get two wins until Iā€™m looking at a championship fight, at least, so Iā€™ve got to focus on me and Iā€™m going to continue to cheer on Julie and pray that we donā€™t ever have to fight each other.

    UFC Champ Miesha Tate and TUF Winner Julianna Pena. | Miesha tate, Good looking women, Female fighter
    Julianna PeƱa, Miesha Tate

    ā€œI know that Julianna can make 125 and I can make 125. Thereā€™s also those things too. Itā€™s not out of the question for either of us to go hunting Valentina (Shevchenko) at some point. Thereā€™s lots of dynamics. I know she really wants that fight too so weā€™d have to see what happens if everything continues to play out in that direction. Thereā€™s always that possibility of us going to 125 for either of us too.ā€

    As Tate mentioned, she’s likely a few wins away from arriving at the crossroads she’s fearing. After returning from retirement earlier this year with a victory over Marion Reneau, the former champ’s title charge was stalled last month in a main event loss to Ketlen Vieira. Now sat at #7 in the rankings, Tate will be after a couple of wins over top names before entering contention again.

    But while stating her trepidation at moving down a division and her desire to remain at bantamweight, the 35-year-old admitted a transition to the 125-pound weight class is not out of the question while PeƱa is on the throne.

    ā€œItā€™s something Iā€™ve definitely thought about, but I definitely donā€™t want people thinking that Iā€™m running at 135,ā€ Tate said. ā€œI hate the idea of leaving a division on a loss. It really bugs me. Something really bothers me about that, leaving the division on a loss. Itā€™s something Iā€™ve thought about, but at the same time, I feel like I need more time to digest all of that. Itā€™s not out of the question by any means, but it would be a long process to get down to 125. Iā€™ve been pretty vocal that Iā€™m not a fan of big weight cuts, so I would probably have to do some things to change my body to get down to that weight, but itā€™s not something thatā€™s way out in left field.

    Miesha Tate unretires against Marion Reneau at UFC on ESPN 26 | Las Vegas Review-Journal
    Miesha Tate

    ā€œItā€™s definitely something I feel like it would be an option. I just have to decide to. Iā€™m definitely leaning toward staying at 135 especially given the change-ups, but itā€™s definitely not something out of the question.ā€

    While the situation is something to think about for the future, former champ Nunes will be looking to save the pair from the hassle of avoiding a matchup with each other by immediately reclaiming the title. The Brazilian has the option of a rematch and appears more than willing to run it back with the first woman to beat her since Cat Zingano in 2014.

    If Nunes doesn’t recapture the bantamweight throne, though, and Tate records a few triumphs over names like Irena Aldana; Holly Holm; and Aspen Ladd, who’s made her desire to face Tate known; perhaps we’ll be seeing “Cupcake” making a tough cut down to flyweight before her career is done.

    How do you think Miesha Tate would fare against flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko?

  • Cris Cyborg Was “Not Surprised” Julianna PeƱa Upset Amanda Nunes

    Despite many perceiving it to be the biggest upset in UFC history, Bellator champion Cris Cyborg wasn’t surprised to see Julianna PeƱa beat Amanda Nunes at UFC 269.

    Closing the year in style at 2021’s final pay-per-view, PeƱa 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 PeƱa’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.

    Cyborg Believes PeƱa Made Nunes “Quit”

    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 PeƱa 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 PeƱa because the five losses for Amanda Nunes, four were the same style as Julianna PeƱa. 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.

    Amanda Nunes Cris Cyborg
    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 PeƱa.”

    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, PeƱa 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 PeƱa continued going forward and she tapped, but (PeƱa) 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?

  • Khabib Uses PeƱa’s UFC 269 Upset As An Example Of WMMA’s Inferiority

    Khabib Nurmagomedov has used Julianna PeƱa’s UFC 269 upset over Amanda Nunes to help explain why his Eagle FC promotion will not yet add female fighters.

    Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC promotion has been making big waves since the Dagestan native took over the helm last year. In addition to landing a deal with UFC Fight Pass, the promotion will now venture beyond Russia and into the United States, and it has also added a 165lb weight class, which has been long requested by many fighters, including Nate Diaz and new Eagle FC signee Kevin Lee.

    One change that will not be made anytime soon is the addition of any women’s divisions. When asked about the prospect of women joining Eagle FC, Khabib used Julianna PeƱa’s victory over Amanda Nunes as an example of why WMMA is not quite caught up to the male competition level (h/t Sportskeeda).

    “I am like, we can watch what Julianna PeƱa did with Amanda Nunes [at UFC 269 last weekend]. But Julianna PeƱa, she is not like the greatest or something like that. She just beat Amanda Nunes like [on the day]. We can watch not many good [female] fighters all around the world. There are only like five or six of them. And we will wait and see [if we can do anything about it],” said Khabib.

    Khabib did leave the door open to adding women to the Eagle FC roster in the future, so his reasoning does not appear to be tied to any cultural beliefs based on the above remarks. Khabib’s frankness in answering this question should not come as much of a surprise to anyone who remembers his ring-girl remarks from earlier this year that caused quite the stir.

    One of the people who took issue with Khabib saying ring girls are “useless” is UFC women’s flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko. And if Shevchenko was not a fan of those comments, it’s safe to say she won’t be digging these remarks from Khabib all too much, either. And the same can almost assuredly be said for the new UFC women’s bantamweight champion, Julianna PeƱa.

    You can view Khabib’s comments for yourself in the video below.

    What are your thoughts on Khabib’s comments on the state WMMA?

  • Cormier & PeƱa Disagree On Amanda Nunesā€™ Decision To Tap At UFC 269

    Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier believes Amanda Nunes “took her ball and went home” against Julianna PeƱa 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, PeƱa 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, PeƱa 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 PeƱa, but it felt like she should go out on her shield more.”

    PeƱa: “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, PeƱa claimed the choke was something she’d been working ahead of the fight, and suggested Nunes had no choice but tap.

    ā€œYeah, 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 didnā€™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.ā€

    Whether Nunes tapped prematurely, knew she was beaten, or genuinely had no choice, it certainly doesn’t matter for PeƱa. “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 PeƱa or Daniel Cormier?

  • Kayla Harrison: Nunes “Starches” PeƱa 9 Times Out Of 10

    Despite giving props to Julianna PeƱa 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 PeƱa that proved to be the David to her Goliath.

    But if you ask “The Venezuelan Vixen,” there was nothing surprising about the result on December 11. She predicted it throughout fight week. Her confidence was struck down by most, including Nunes, who branded her “delusional.”

    On fight night, PeƱa 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 PeƱa 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 PeƱa 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, PeƱa could be facing more than just a “Lioness” if she continues down her current path.

    Following her title crowning, PeƱa 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, PeƱa 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. PeƱa 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 PeƱa nine times out of 10?

  • PeƱa Responds To Backlash For Saying She’s The UFC’s 1st Mom Champ

    Newly crowned women’s bantamweight champion Julianna PeƱa 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 PeƱa served as an inspiration for many people. PeƱa 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 PeƱa 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.

    ā€œThe UFC absolutely needs to create a new belt for me It needs to be ‘The Baddest Mom on the Planet,’ PeƱa said during the UFC 269 post-fight press conference. “And you know, Iā€™m not trying to take away anything from Amanda. Sheā€™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.ā€

    Julianna PeƱa Reacts To Backlash

    Many considered PeƱa’s remarks to be distasteful, with her being accused of minimizing, if not disqualifying Amanda Nunes as a mother because she did not give birth to her daughter.

    When MMA reporter Ariel Helwani congratulated PeƱa 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 PeƱa’s achievement should be celebrated.

    “FTR, Iā€™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. Thatā€™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 PeƱa on as a guest of Monday’s installment of The MMA Hour to respond to the backlash herself. First, Helwani defended PeƱa 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.

    ā€œYes, it is, and my words were 1,000% misinterpreted,” PeƱa said. “Iā€™m not trying to take away from Amanda as a mom-champ by any means. But what I meant to say is, youā€™re pregnant for 10 months, actually. And your body goes through massive changes. I went to my doctorā€™s appointment. I was almost 42 weeks pregnant at this point, and theyā€™re like, ā€˜We gotta get this baby out now! STAT! Right now!ā€™

    “They rushed me to the ER. And I got my guts ripped open. Iā€™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 wasnā€™t for Mercier Therapy, I wouldnā€™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.ā€

    In the interview, PeƱa praised both Amanda and Nina Nunes for being great parents and reiterated that Amanda Nunes is a legitimate mom champ. That said, PeƱa believes she offers her own unique, inspirational story as a champion.

    ā€œAnd Iā€™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 Iā€™m at right now. And itā€™s something that should be celebrated. But I, by no means, want to take away from Amandaā€™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.ā€

    Julianna PeƱa is expected to rematch Amanda Nunes sometime in 2022.

    What are your thoughts on Julianna PeƱa’s comments?

  • The Pulse of MMA: Fans React To Julianna PeƱa’s Upset Of Amanda Nunes

    The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sportā€™s Biggest Stories

    In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the result of UFC 269’s co-main event that saw Julianna PeƱa upset Amanda Nunes.

    Julianna PeƱa def. Amanda Nunes via Submission

    Amanda Nunes entered the UFC 269 co-main event as a -1000 favorite against Julianna PeƱa. After a strong first round, PeƱa would stand and trade with Nunes, getting the better of the “The Lioness,” much to the surprise of the audience in attendance. That shock would then quickly expand when PeƱa made the victory official with her rear-naked choke submission in the second round.

    Here is one look at a stunned crowd’s reaction, including many fighters in attendance who could not believe what they just witnessed.

    We also covered fighters’ Twitter reactions to this stunning upset immediately after the event.

    But what about The Pulse of MMA? What were the reactions to the fans of our great sport after witnessing such a monumental moment! You can find the raw, unfiltered commentary on the crowning of a new UFC bantamweight champion below.

    https://twitter.com/wehaveagronk/status/1469896782377324550
    https://twitter.com/bromachenko/status/1469896097820721152
    https://twitter.com/DamnitChristoff/status/1469904822174375937
    https://twitter.com/MartialMind1/status/1469895227418812417

    Want to weigh in on the sportā€™s biggest stories? Be sure to follow us on Twitter and let your voice be heard!

  • Michael Bisping Thinks Amanda Nunes Wins Julianna PeƱa Rematch

    Michael Bisping likes former UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes’ chances in an immediate rematch against Julianna PeƱa.

    Nunes’ loss to PeƱa was arguably one of the most shocking upsets in UFC history. After some brief success early on in the fight, Nunes looked gassed in Round 2 and let PeƱa dictate the pace on the feet. PeƱa would then secure a big takedown and eventually lock in the submission for the win.

    Nunes’ loss to PeƱa snapped an incredible run in the UFC in which she won titles at both bantamweight and featherweight. The defeat snapped a 12-fight winning streak and was her first loss since UFC 178 against Cat Zingano.

    During a recent segment on his YouTube channel, Bisping broke down his thoughts on a Nunes/PeƱa rematch and what went wrong for Nunes at UFC 269.

    ā€œI think sheā€™ll come back and I think sheā€™ll fight Julianna PeƱa and I think she beats Julianna in a rematch,ā€ Bisping said. ā€œIn that first round, she outclassed Julianna. She was the better person, she put her down twice, she controlled her in the clinch, she controlled her on the ground. It was a good round for Nunes but she got tired. She got tired, you could clearly see it. And also she showed a little naivety, she showed a little lack of experience, she showed a little – she didnā€™t show the best fight I.Q.

    ā€œWhen youā€™re in a fight – and Iā€™ve been there many times – when youā€™re in a fight, youā€™re in the UFC, you go in there and itā€™s a big fight, a main event or whatever, thereā€™s thousands of people and youā€™re the f*cking star and things donā€™t go your way and BANG you get caught with a shot and youā€™re rocked, what we saw Nunes do – and itā€™s commendable and the crowd loved it and theyā€™re all screaming and cheering – she just stood there swinging back and forth,” Bisping continued. “What Nunes should have done was be a little bit more crafty. She should have got on her bike, use her footwork to be a little bit more elusive, dance around the octagon a little bit, get your equilibrium backā€¦

    ā€œNunes probably beats her in the rematch. Iā€™m not taking away from what she did. I honestly believe Nunes will beat her in the rematch.ā€

    Amanda Nunes Seems Focused On Julianna PeƱa Rematch

    Just days after her loss to PeƱa at UFC 269, Nunes took to Instagram to formally accept Dana White’s offer of an immediate rematch.

    While PeƱa stated that she’s certainly interested in a Nunes rematch, she’s also voiced his desire to avenge previous losses to Valentina Shevchenko and Germaine de Randamie.

    White has all but confirmed an immediate rematch between Nunes and PeƱa, and it’s expected to be what’s next in the bantamweight title picture. It’s unclear when it’ll happen, but it seems like a Nunes/PeƱarematch is inevitable.

    How do you think Julianna PeƱa vs. Amanda Nunes 2 would play out?

  • Sonnen: Amanda Nunes “Quit” During “Mental Beating” At UFC 269

    Former two-division UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes Amanda Nunes’ shocking defeat to Julianna PeƱa was a “mental beating,” not a physical one.

    In one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, PeƱa secured her place on the bantamweight throne in the final pay-per-view co-main event of the year this past weekend. Heading into the contest, Nunes was unbeaten since 2014, held both the 135-pound and 145-pound titles, and had defeated the likes of Valentina Shevchenko, Cris Cyborg, and Holly Holm across a 12-fight win streak.

    PeƱa, meanwhile, was 2-2 in her last four fights after suffering defeats to Shevchenko and Germain de Randamie. Nevertheless, “The Venezuelan Vixen” boasted unwavering confidence throughout fight week, something that crossed over into the octagon on Saturday night.

    After dropping the opening round, PeƱa came out in the second ready to shock the world. Taking the attack to the “Lioness” on the feet like nobody before her, the 32-year-old rocked the Brazilian and wore her out. After dragging her to the mat with ease, PeƱa forced the tap in seconds with a rear-naked choke.

    Sonnen: “Julianna Was In A Terrible Position”

    Very few predicted Nunes’ bantamweight reign would come to an end inside the T-Mobile Arena on December 11. One man that did was former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight Chael Sonnen. The 44-year-old branded the matchup as “the most likely upset” of the former champ’s entire career and a “stylistic disaster” for Nunes.

    With his prediction ringing true, Sonnen has discussed the incredible result. The analyst suggested Nunes “quit” against PeƱa, who he doesn’t believe was in a position where she should have been able to secure a victory at the time.

    “I got to tell you man, that was a different fight. We’ve seen upsets before… If you take Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas, where Mike is trying to get up and he just can’t beat the count or when Ronda Rousey got her head kicked into the third row but she didn’t want it to happen. This was totally different. Amanda flicked it. That was 100% mental beating, zero percent physical. That submission wasn’t there… That was not a move, that was absolutely not a fighting technique. Julianna was in a terrible position and Amanda quit!” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    Off the back of one of the most remarkable underdog successes in the promotion’s history, talk has now turned to what the future holds for both the newly crowned bantamweight queen and the fallen “Lioness.”

    While a rematch certainly appears to be the obvious choice, PeƱa revealed she’s also hoping to get back the losses she suffered against Shevchenko and de Randamie, both of which she believes she had in the bag before making “amateur mistakes.”

    If either of those happen, Nunes would seemingly look to defend her featherweight title. Whilst a super-fight with two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison has likely lost some momentum as a result of Nunes’ defeat, you’d be hard-pressed to find a fan or pundit not interested in seeing the two teammates collide still.

    Do you agree with Chael Sonnen? Did Amanda Nunes quit at UFC 269?

  • Amanda Nunes Accepts Rematch Against Julianna PeƱa

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes is all-in on an immediate rematch against Julianna PeƱa following UFC 269.

    Nunes had early success against PeƱa in their showdown at UFC 269. However, this was short-lived as PeƱa was the more aggressive fighter in round 2. After landing a series of devastating strikes, PeƱa changed levels and secured a rear-naked choke for arguably the greatest upset in UFC history.

    Almost immediately after PeƱa’s win, many around the UFC community already began to speculate about an immediate rematch with Nunes. UFC president Dana White said in his UFC 269 post-fight press conference that if Nunes wanted it, she’ll get an immediate second chance against Pena.

    After getting word of White’s comments, Nunes responded via an Instagram post just days after the event.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXbl4W_PS62/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    “You think I’m going to go out unbalanced,” Nunes said. “I undoubtedly accept the rematch. Give me a little time to get my shit together and I will be back better than ever.”

    Amanda Nunes Isn’t The Only Name On Julianna PeƱa’s Radar

    Shortly after her win over Nunes at UFC 269, Pena was already looking ahead to what could be next in her title reign. While she iterated that she’s open to a rematch with Nunes, she’s also interested in avenging previous losses to Germaine de Randamie and Valentina Shevchenko.

    Shevchenko had previously hinted at a trilogy with Nunes after two close losses, but that appears to be on the back burner for now. A bantamweight showdown with PeƱa could be a very intriguing fight for the fans and both women.

    It’s unclear how much time off Nunes will need as she works her way back to the Octagon. In the meantime, it wouldn’t be surprising if the promotion looks at booking PeƱa against either Shevchenko or De Randamie next.

    How do you think a Julianna PeƱa vs. Amanda Nunes rematch plays out?